PATAFA scores major gains

MANILA, Philippines — It’s been 36 years since the Philippines took at least two gold medals in the Asian Athletics Championships, and PATAFA president Terry Capistrano said yesterday with the high level of competition in the region, duplicating the mark in the recent Bangkok edition was an indication of what could be accomplished in the Hangzhou Asian Games on Sept 23-Oct. 8.

“We brought 21 athletes to Bangkok and we made it to the final in 17 of 22 events,” said Capistrano. “We set four new national records, five season bests, one personal best and one meet record. Despite the achievements, we had only two podium finishes from EJ (Obiena) and Robyn (Brown) who both took gold. That’s how tough the Asian field is. John (Tolentino) and Kristina (Knott) almost made the podium. John was fourth in 110m hurdles and Kristina fourth in 200m. Kristina’s time of 23.39 seconds would’ve won her a silver in the last SEA Games. William (Morrison) was sixth in shotput but his distance of 18.17m would’ve won the gold in the last SEA Games.”

The Philippines finished without a gold medal in 15 of 24 Asian Athletics Championships since 1973. The largest gold harvest came in the inaugural 1973 competition when the Philippines hit paydirt in 400m hurdles (Abdulkadir Guiapar), 100m (Amelita Alanes), 4x400m relay (Alanes, Aida Mantawel, Carmen Torres, Rosalinda Yumol) and discus throw (Josephine de la Vina). In 1983, the haul was three gold medals in 400m (Isidro del Prado) and 100m and 200m (Lydia de Vega). Then came the two gold medals in 100m and 200m by De Vega in 1987 and this year with Obiena (pole vault) and Brown (400m hurdles). Single gold medals were bagged by Del Prado (400m) in 1985, Marestella Torres (long jump) in 2009, Eric Cray (400m hurdles) in 2017 and Obiena in 2019.

Registering new national records in Bangkok were Tolentino (13.56 seconds in 110m hurdles), Sarah Dequinan (5,446 points in heptathlon), the team of Umajesty Williams, Michael del Prado, Joyme Sequita and Frederick Ramirez (3:6.47 in 4x400m) and the team of Ramirez, Jessel Lumapas, Maureen Schrijvers and Del Prado (3:22.53 in 4x400m mixed). Obiena’s jump of 5.91 set a new meet standard.