NATIONAL University leaned on its two golden finishes to open a 63-44 lead over the three-peat seeking University of the Philippines in the men’s side at the start of the UAAP Season 86 Athletics championships on Wednesday at the PhilSports Track Oval in Pasig City.
Tyronne Flores collected his own third straight gold in the shotput to set the tone for the Bulldogs, who are gunning for a historic first-ever UAAP title, with a golden heave of 14.93 meters, smashing his own 14.14-meter standard set the previous season.
Fittingly, the feat was accomplished ahead of UP’s senior thrower ED Deliña, who also surpassed the mark with a best throw of 14.32 meters. Adamson University’s Daniel Rambacal completed the podium with a mark of 13.24 meters.
The Bulldogs also took advantage of the absence of reigning 800-meter king and Fighting Maroon Edwin Giron from the competition as John Lloyd Cabalo and Edwin Mancao finished 1-2 in the event. Cabalo clocked in at 1:56.40 minutes, 0.45 seconds ahead of Mancao, with Edgar Carado of Adamson taking the bronze at a far third with 1:58.59.
These two golds overshadowed the new fastest time in the UAAP in the 100 meters from last year’s top student-athlete Alrhyan Labita.
Labita, who is in his second year of eligibility, bagged his second straight 100-meter title in record-breaking fashion, clocking at 10.57 seconds, which surpassed this own 10.66 seconds set in the afternoon’s heats. The earlier record broke the almost 11-year-old standard of 10.89 seconds of former national team standout and Far Eastern University Tamaraw Trackster Jesson Cid.
UAAP Season 85 High School Boys’ MVP Kent Francis Jardin spoiled the 1-2 ambitions of UP in the 100 meters, taking the silver instead for Adamson with 10.70 seconds. UP’s Clint Niño Neri was relegated to the bronze this time by a mere 0.06 seconds behind Jardin.
Hockett Delos Santos, 31st Southeast Asian Games silver medalist, introduced himself to the UAAP with a rousing gold in the pole vault for University of Santo Tomas with a best jump of 5.00 meters — the second-highest behind the league record of 5.46 from the world’s current No. 2 athlete in the event, EJ Obiena, when he was still with UST.
The reign of De La Salle University’s Francis Obiena in the said event was cut short, but the senior Green Trackster still finished with the silver at 4.15 meters ahead of University of the East’s Romer Magcalayo, who got bronze at 3.95 meters.
On the women’s side, UST Female Trackster Lianne Pama stole the spotlight after bringing down her own UAAP record in the 100 meters of 11.74 seconds set last season to a new best of 11.71 seconds in the heats. The national team upstart then collected the gold in the Finals with 11.84 seconds.
The day, though, still belongs to powerhouse FEU, which is leading De La Salle with nine points, 69-60, at the end of the opener.
Angelyn Ortiz managed to take the silver for the redemption-gunning Lady Tamaraws behind Pama with 12.08 seconds, which is barely ahead of Lady Green Trackster Jessel Lumapas’ 12.09 seconds.
The two other medals for the UAAP Season 81 queens — both bronzes — came from the high jump and the 800 meters.
Ortiz finished third in the field event with a height of 1.50 meters, while Susan Ramadan ended third in the track event with a time of 2:14.72 via an apparatus-determined photo finish, respectively.
UE’s Mariel Abuan won the high jump over UST’s Jeanne Arnibal, 1.66 against 1.60 meters, while De La Salle snagged the 800-meter gold with national athlete Bernalyn Bejoy crossing the line with 2:14.52 minutes. Adamson’s Ermmalyn Taypin snagged the silver past Ramadan with an identical 2:14.72 mark.
The Lady Warriors also bagged the hammer throw title with Kassandra Alcantara’s 42.68-meter finish, way ahead of NU Lady Bulldog Jane Cambonga’s 36.91 and UST Lady Trackster Lanie Carpentero’s 36.03.
Juliana Talaro then made sure to keep the 5000-meter walk crown in UP with 27:54.30, a few ticks ahead of teammate Alana Halagueña’s 27:54.62. Laurize Wangkay captured the bronze for De La Salle with 27:56.62, just marginally ahead by 0.03 seconds of UST’s Leonalyn Raterta.
The second day of the championships continues on Thursday with the last five events of the men’s decathlon taking centerstage.
