RIO Olympics-bound Eric Cray anchored the Philippine Air Force team break the national record in the men’s 4×100 meter relays of the 2016 Ayala-Philippine National Open Invitational Athletics Championships at the Philsports Track Stadium in Pasig.
Cray quickly took off after taking the baton from teammate Brandon Thomas, moving away from Rizal Technological University rival Allan Paul Plana and reaching the finish line in 40.54 seconds.
It was one of two meet records which fell so far in the three-day meet, with the Airmen’s performance placed under evaluation by track officials.
Cray finished 20 meters ahead of Plana as he helped the Airmen erase the 11-year mark of the national team composed of Arnold Villarube, Ralph Waldy Soguilon, Albert Salcedo and Henry Dagmil, who ran 40.55 seconds in the 2005 SEA Games.
“The team broke it. It’s a blessing in disguise,” said Cray as he was given high fives by teammates during their record-breaking run on a humid Friday night.
The feat of the Airmen, also composed of Edgardo Alejan and Isidro del Prado Jr., is now being evaluated by team officials as Cray was only given the green light to join the relays late Friday afternoon after coaches and PATAFA officials had a discussion over his unannounced plan to form a team on his own, join the relays, and skip the individual events.
“That’s his only event. He will not run the 4×400 meter relays. It might hamper his preparation for the Olympics in the 400-meter low hurdles. He failed to communicate properly, and was not aware of procedures,” said PATAFA president Philip Ella Juico.
Team RTU placed second to the Airmen in 42.63 seconds, while San Beda College landed third in 45.02.
Meanwhile, nineteen-year-old Aira Teodosio was hoping to reestablish the current UAAP hammer throw mark of 40.70 meters she owns, but she instead wound up breaking the national junior record she reset last March with a heave of 38.95 meters in the trackfest presented by Ayala Corp., and also backed by Milo Nutri-up, Philippine Sports Commission, Foton Philippines, PCSO, Summit Natural Drinking Water, Appeton, Asics Watch, L TimeStudio and media partners Business Mirror, Business Mirror Health and Fitness Magazine and radio station Mellow 94.7.
Her UST coach Manny Calipes said Teodosio wanted to go for a high throw, which was beyond 40 meters. But they were surprised that Aira’s feat was still beyond expectations.
Teodosio, who is from Silay, Negros Occidental, heaved 40.7 meters during the UAAP meet.
Last March, she set the new national junior mark of 38.9 meters during the Philippine National Games.
On the other hand, Malaysian Hup Wei Lee was just 5 cms short of the Malaysian national record when he cleared 2.22 meters in the men’s high jump—a mark that was also close to the Olympic standard of 2.29 meters.
Nineteen-year-old University of Santo Tomas student Louielyn Pamatian earned her third gold medal after ruling the girls’ 400-meter run in 59.42 seconds. Pamatian’s two other golds came when she took the top honors in the 800-meter, and then anchored the 4×100 meter relay team of UST to a gold.
Fil-American Jessica Lyn Barnard won her second gold in the 1500-meter run, finishing in 4:55.19 and beating Jeanne Rose Lanzado in 5:34.54.
Airman Mervin Guarte bounced back from his upset loss to Elbren Neri in the men’s 800-meter run when he prevailed over his tormentor in the men’s 1500-meter action in 3:57.26. Neri was 1.54 seconds behind Guarte.
Armyman Richard Salado nailed his second gold medal by taking the 10,000-meter walk in 32:27.7. It was the second time he upset Rafael Poliquit(32:29.1).
Malaysians Noor Shahidtun Nadia Mod Zooki and Kirthana Ramamsamy shared the top honors in the women’s triple jump, clearing 13.18 and 12.77 meters, respectively.
Emily Jean Obiena ruled the girls’ pole vault with an uncontested feat of 3.1 meters.