Vilog tops 800m, but SEAG stint in doubt

STA. CRUZ, Laguna, Philippines – Marco Vilog hit the Southeast Asian Games standard in topping the 800-meter run against fancied, more seasoned rivals in the National Open-Invitational Athletics Championships at the Laguna Sports Complex here yesterday.

A Lyceum-Batangas student representing the Philippine Air Force, Vilog, 20, blazed past a field including national team mainstay Wenlie Maulas to snatch the gold in one minute, 51.60 seconds – a performance worthy of consideration for the national team bound for the coming Singapore SEAG.

Vilog’s time surpassed the 1.51.62 of 2013 Myanmar SEAG bronze medalist Van Thai.

“He made the SEAG standard,” said Ernie Candelario, a former multiple SEAG gold medalist who is now coaching Vilog.

The problem is that PRISAA disallows student athletes to compete for the national team in international meets, or they will be stripped of scholarships.

“If he (Vilog) plays in the SEAG, he will be stripped of his scholarship because of that PRISAA rule. And even if PRISAA allows him, it will be hard to include him in the national team because he is not in the original list submitted early this year. And he still has no passport,” said Candelario.

“So he decided to just stay put with his school for another year so that he will not lose his scholarship,” he added.

Curiously, 19-year-old Ryan Bigyan, Vilog’s Lyceum-Batangas teammate, is giving up his scholarship to join the 4x400m relay team in Singapore.

“He (Bigyan) has decided to go to the SEAG and pay his way to school for the scholarship he will lose,” said Candelario.

Vilog’s spot could end up in the hands of Maulas, who managed a silver in 1.51.91.

Mervin Guarte clinched the first of two SEAG slots in 800m since being a silver medal winner in the last SEAG.

Vilog, however, may be considered for a spot in the national training team.

“That is my hope and prayer,” said Vilog.

Vilog put up a scintillating performance despite busy schedule with his classes.

“If I compete in the morning and I go home in the afternoon for my classes,” he said.

Smart-Perpetual Help’s Francis Medina took his second gold after he topped the 400m hurdles.

He earlier ruled the 110m hurdles, emerging the best performing athlete in the juniors division.

Medina clocked 14.23 in the 110-m hurdles under drizzle to break the 14.52 national junior mark for 99-cm hurdles he himself set in December last year in the ASEAN Schools Games in Marikina City.

Jessica Barnard blew away the opposition in 3,000m steeplechase in 11:34.45 to join fellow Fil-Ams Caleb Stuart, Brandon Thomas and Donovan Arriola in the SEAG squad.

Jose Rizal’s Mark Harry Diones seized the triple jump mint in 15.84m in beating younger brother Melbert (15.34) and Lyceum’s Ronne Malipay (15.12m).

But Diones may have missed the SEAG team cut as he failed to breach at least 16 meters.

Kenny Gonzales, representing Team Rio, reigned supreme in javelin in 62.96m ahead of Army’s Danilo Fresnido (60.82m) and Team Rio’s Melvin Calano (58.92m), to give him a chance to make the national team.

The event is organized by the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association and Philippine Sports Commission and backed by Laguna Water, Pacific Online Scratch It KaskaSwerte, Papa John’s Pizza, Foton Philippines, PCSO, Smart, PLDT, Summit Natural Drinking Water and supported by SSS, Pagcor, Milo, Gatorade, L Time Studio and Asics Watch.