Davao City—An Ilonggo runner may attempt to surpass up to two national junior records when action starts in the 2019 Palarong Pambansa here.
Eighteen-year-old Vince Buhayan will try to do this when the athletics’ meet fires off with 16 gold medals at stake today at the University of the Philippines Sports Complex in Davao City.
The 5’11” Buhayan is stepping out of the shadows of former rival Veruel Verdadero, whose effort was not recognized last year as a Philippine record when he clocked 10.55 seconds in the secondary boys’ 100-meter dash for technical reasons.
Buhayan, who is seeing action for Western Visayas, will make his bid in the afternoon finals if he makes it past the morning heats.
Verdadero, who represented Southern Tagalog region in 2018, won’t be around to challenge Buhayan since he is now a college student at the National University in Manila and has gone on to break two national marks in the relays during the 2018 ASEAN School Games.
Buhayan, who settled for the silver behind Verdadero with his 10.88 seconds, could surpass the seven-year-old mark of Daniel Noval, who did it in the Thai Open in 10.74 seconds.
So far, Buhayan has managed to clock 10.6 seconds in the regional eliminations and is expected to find opposition from Al Ryan Labita of the National Capital Region.
Labita may have improved after joining the ASEAN School Games last year in Kuala Lumpur after he and members of the national junior team, which included Verdadero, reset the 400-meter relays mark with a time of 3:18.45.
And the century dash won’t be the only focus of Buhayan’s efforts during the weeklong meet as he will also try to make his marks in the 200-meter dash, the 400-meters and, maybe, even the 800-m run.
Buhayan may also make his presence felt in the relays as well, possibly with a record-breaking effort with his teammates.
That’s because Buhayan has already broken the national junior mark with Verdadero, Jason Jabol and Jhovan Calixto with a time of 42.76 seconds during the 2018 ASEAN School Games in Kuala Lumpur.
Earlier in the day, barefoot runner Lheslie de Lima seeks to retain her 3,000-meter run title in the absence of National Capital Region’s Tara Borlain.
Also at stake are gold medals in secondary girls, elementary boys and girls 100-meter run, the long jump and discus throw events, the 400-meter hurdles.
In the distaff side, another Western Visayas sprinter Bernalyn Bejoy, is expected to dominate her events in the 400-meter run, the 400-meter hurdles and the 800-meter hurdles.
Action in Day 1 will also begin in badminton at the Calinan gymnasium, baseball at the Villafuerte Elementary School, secondary girls’ basketball at the University of Mindanao, men’s basketball at the University of Southern Philippines, chess at the Chong Hua High School, futsal at the Mintal gymnasium, sepak takraw and softball at the Davao City National High School.