NATIONAL pool member Anfernee Lopena set a new meet record as he retained the crown in the men’s 100-meter dash in the recent 92nd National Collegiate Athletic Association track and field competition.
The 23-year-old Lopena, playing for the College of St. Benilde, clocked 10.64 seconds in the heats of the century dash in last week’s action at the Philsports Complex in Pasig.
His effort smashed last year’s meet mark of 10.66 set by San Sebastian’s Jomar Udtohan.
With Udtohan absent this time due to injury, Lopena took the gold in 10.7 seconds in the finals.
Eight records were set during the three-day meet, which saw Arellano University sweeping the 1,500-meter medals on the final day Saturday to bag seniors’ championship.
It was the second straight year that the Chiefs ruled the trackfest.
CSB’s Julian Reem Fuentes, Emilio Aguinaldo’s Tyrone Execquiel and Jose Rizal University’s Miller Manulat claimed the other new meet records.
Fuentes cleared 7.59m to erase the 7.42m he himself set a year ago in men’s long jump.
Excquiel smashed the 11-year-old meet record of 40 meters that Letran’s Randolph Hernandez had in 2006 with a 42.69 in secondary boys discus throw.
Manulat eclipsed the 6.77m mark San Sebastian’s John Resty Lorenzo achieved three seasons back with a leap of 6.83m in the junior long jump action.
Arellano’s bid to claim the crown anew was led by Joe Marie Arevalo in the men’s 1500m gold, while teammates Immanuel Camino and Christian Traje claimed the silver and bronze medals.
The Chiefs finished their bid with total of 740 points, beating Mapua and St. Benilde, which ended up second and third places with 537.5 and 407.5 points, respectively.
Perpetual Help’s Francis Medina was hailed as the senior MVP,with wins in the 400m, 110m hurdles, 400m hurdles and 4x400m relay.
He reset marks in the 110m and 400m hurdles to cap his campaign.
Veruel Verdadero emerged as the most outstanding athlete in the juniors following victories in the 100m, 200m, 400m, 4x100m and 4x100m, while eclipsing marks in 400m and 4x100m.
For Arellano University, it was their fourth title this season after it also dominated in the juniors’ lawn tennis, women’s badminton and volleyball.
