Despite posting one of her slower times this season, Filipina-American Victoria Bossong still managed to clinch the women’s open 800-meter gold medal during Day 4 on Saturday of the 2024 ICTSI Philippine Athletics Championship at the Philsports oval in Pasig.
Bossong crossed the finish line in two minutes and 9.56 seconds, securing victory amidst a backdrop of cloudy yet warm weather and the fervent cheers of young fans.
The 20-year-old Bossong maintained a commanding lead throughout the race, finishing nearly three seconds ahead of Bernalyn Bejoy, a collegiate champion and national team member, who settled for the silver medal.
Bejoy, a La Salle student, clocked in at 2:12.48, her best performance since clinching the season 86 University Athletic Association of the Philippines crown in November.
Bossong, standing at 5’8” and a third-year medical student at Harvard University, expressed contentment despite not achieving her desired time. “The time was not quite what I wanted. But, I’m fine with it,” she said.
Bossong had advanced to the finals with a season-low time of 2:12.7, while Bejoy followed closely behind at 2:13.3 during the heats. Susan Ramadan from Far Eastern University secured the third spot on the podium with a time of 2:17.88, trailing behind Bossong, who swiftly departed for the United States to prepare for the NCAA Division 1 regional championships.
However, Bossong’s bid for Olympic qualification for the Paris Olympics will have to wait, as her Philippine passport is still undergoing processing.
In other events, Masbate’s Anna Bianca Espenilla impressed with a 49.46-meter throw in the women’s under 18 javelin event, surpassing Ann Katherine Quitoy’s previous record of 44.71 meters set in 2019.
In the men’s 800-meter event, Lorana advanced to the finals with his twin Hussein, clocking his best time of 1:55.05.
Stephanie Nicole Cerezo secured the women’s under-18 gold medal in the 3000-meter run with a time of 12:05.60, followed by Ghenica Samalea in second place at 12:46.25, and Pasig’s Sofia Aragon taking the bronze with a time of 12:56.31.