FIL-AMERICAN bets Jessica Lyn Barnard and Marisa Kwiatkowski set new Philippine national indoor records in two separate track and field meets in the United States held the last three weeks.
The 25-year-old Barnard smashed the 1-mile indoor women’s run mark when she finished eighth place with a time of 4:53.30 in the fourth heat of the Husky Classic.
She improved on her old best time of 4:55.51 during the meet, which was held at the Dempsey Indoor Stadium in Seattle Washington.
The 20-year-old Kwiatkowski, a student at Stanford University, reset a previous national mark she owned in the junior women’s triple jump after clearing 12.45 meters.
She went past the 12.37-meter national record last Jan. 30 at the Penn State meet at the Horace Ashenfelter indoor track of University Park in Pennsylvannia.
Kwiatkowski’s records are recognized by the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association, while Barnard’s feat is still undergoing a verification process.
Barnard first made a splash for the Philippine national team in the 2013 and 2015 Southeast Asian Games, where she took home the bronze in the 3000-meter steeplechase.
This is her second national record after she earlier set a new women’s 3000-meter steeplechase mark at 11:04.84.
During the Husky meet, the Cebu-born Barnard placed no. 37th overall to Natalia Piliusina, who had a 4:35.31.
Stormy Nesbit of West Virginia topped the meet with her 12.97-meter performance.