Ilagan City—Two Philippine Army bets rocked the 2018 Ayala Philippine Athletics Championship as they stunned two former Southeast Asian champions in the early-morning schedule of the 2018 Ayala Philippine Athletics Championships at the Ilagan City Sports Complex here on Thursday.
Armed with a two-month high-altitude training in Baguio City, courtesy of their Wellness Center-Special Services Center commanding officer Col. Antonio John Divinagracia, Richard Salaño and Macrose Dichoso carried the fight for the Army bets in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and 10,000-meter, respectively. The 26-year-old PFC Salaño, a native of Marilao, Bulacan, secured the 3,000-m title with a time of 9 minutes 23.21 seconds as he frustrated two-time (2013 Myanmar/2015 Singapore) SEA Games champion Christopher Ulboc, Jr. (9:39.43) and Da La Salle University’s Jomar Angus (9:57.91).
“First kilometer tinantiya ko lang muna. Kabado rin ako kasi sabi nila runner, runner lang ako. Pero nang makita kong mas malakas yata ang training ko sa pang-apat na ikot, lumayo na ako,” said Salaño, a former gold medalist in the Central Luzon Athletic Association and University Athletic Association Most Valuable player during its 76th season.
“Wala, kulang na kulang pa sa training,” said a dejected Ulboc of the Philippine Air Force in the trackfest presented by Ayala Corp. and the City of Ilagan, with support from Milo, the Philippine Sports Commission, Foton, Cocolife, Rebisco and F2 Logistics.
On the other hand, Dichoso nailed the 10,000-meter run in 39:41 and fended off the challenge of fellow Army Lady Trooper and former SEA Games (2009 Laos) marathon queen Jho-An Banayag-Villarama (0:30.87) and Lany Adaoag ng Team Titus (42:13.86) to inch a step closer to her national team aspiration.
A daughter to a proud construction worker father and dressmaker mother, Dichoso wishes for this feat to finally be the answer to her long-running prayer of a national team call-up.
“Nagte-training na po kami ngayon sa national team pero hindi pa po kami totally pasok kasi nga po kailangan din namin ng strong performance,” said the former University of the East standout. “Sana po (dahil dito) makapasok na sa national team. Tiyaga tiyaga lang.”
Meanwhile, national team member John Albert Mantua showed his worthiness of a slot to the Philippine team bound for the Asian Games in Indonesia this August following a personal-best throw of 15.85 meters in the men’s shotput.
Fresh from a bronze-medal stint in the Taiwan Athletics Open last May 25 and 26, Mantua defeated Sabah Malaysia Team entries Brynoth Alarick Larry (14.32) at Zulkifli Bin Saldin (14:09) for the gold.
“Mas maganda ngayon kasi na-break ko ‘yung personal record ko. Napaghandaan din. Simula last year pa tuluy-tuloy lang ang naging training ko. Full-time athlete kasi,” said the 25-year-old Gen. Santos City native, a four-time National Collegiate Athletic Association shot put champion and a two-time NCAA MVP.
In other results, University of Baguio-Baguio City’s Eduard Josh Buenavista, an incoming Brent International School-Laguna Grade 11 student and son of two-time Olympian Eduardo, captured the 3,000m steeplechase boy’s gold (9:52.07), with RR-UP Team members German Marcelo (9:52.93) and Nathaniel Morales (9:57.44), settling for the silver and bronze, respectively.
The athletics conclave continues today with 30 gold medals on the table, with the centerpiece of this action-packed second today coming in the 200 meter run set at 5 p,m. featuring the country’s top sprinters Eric Cray and Anthony Trenten Beram, alongside former decathlon champion Aries Toledo.
Four-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist and Olympian Marestella Torres-Sunang is also out to sustain her reign in women’s long jump set at 4 p.m.