Ubas’ hard work continues to bear fruit

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino long jumper Janry Ubas captured his second gold medal in the Triveneto Meeting Internazionale in Trieste, Italy Saturday that bolstered his World Championships bid.

The Southeast Asian Games gold winner leapt to 7.72 meters in reigning supreme in the 14-man field that included Tokyo Olympian Lester Lescay Gay of Cuba, who ended up second with a 7.71m.

Thapelo Monaiwa of Botswana snared the bronze with a 7.54m.

The 29-year-old Misamis Oriental native collected his second mint following his triumph in the Motonet Grand Prix in Lappeenranta, Finland where he leapfrogged to a 7.86 several days back.

It was also an effort that should earn Ubas crucial ranking points for the 36 spots to the World Championships slated Aug. 19 to 27 in Budapest, Hungary and join countrymen and early qualifiers Ej Obiena and hurdler Robyn Brown.

To date, Ubas is ranked No. 53 in the world.

Ubas, accompanied by coach Dario de Rosas, is expected to eye more ranking points as he flies to Stuttgart, Germany for the last of the three-leg meets he was invited to join.