INDANG—Navy cadet Mary Rose Frias surged in the stretch to clinch the women’s 1,500-meter run and became the first gold medalist in the 2024 Reserved Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Games national finals on Tuesday at the Cavite State University track and field oval here.
The 20-year old Frias, a second year Business Administration student at Virgin Melagros University in San Carlos City, Pangasinan, maintained poise and exposure to cross the finish line in 5:07.2 en route to winning athletics first finals competition.
Her objective since the start was to duplicate her achievement in the recent 2024 PRISAA national championships in Legazpi City, where she brought home two gold medals. She hopes to accomplish the feat in the women’s 800-m run on Wednesday, where she will be pitted against the best cadets from the Philippine Army and Philippine Air Force.
“Very thankful ako kay God, hindi ako nabigo. Marami kasing expectations sa akin pagkatapos ng PRISAA. Nakakahiya kong matalo ako. Malakas naman ang confidence ko sa sarili. Alam kong mananalo ako,” said Frias, who is from Malsiqui, Pangasinan.
It was a double whammy for her school after teammate Mary Ann de los Reyes, also of the Navy claimed the silver medal with a time of 5:11.7 followed by Air Force cadet Ciara Largavista of University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos in Bacolod City for the bronze in 5:22.7.
However, the dreaded Air Force cadets exacted vengeance after Ronnel Gonzales of the Kolehiyo ng Lungsod ng Lipa clinched the gold in the men’s 1,500-m run in 4:19.0 to relegate two Army men Joven Panisa Makilan of Collegio de Sta. Ana de Victorias to the silver in 4:22.0 and A.J.R. Calago of Jose Rizal Memorial State University-Dipolog to the bronze in 4:23.1.
“It’s worth it. Dahil Malaki talaga ang sakripisyo ko at ayokong sayangin ang pagkakataong ito na sa tingin ko minsan lamang darating sa buhay ko. This is my first national competition kaya masaya ako. Hindi ko rin binigo ‘yung mga kaibigan kong naniniwala sa akin,” said the 19-year old Gonzales a third year Business Administration of KLL in Lipa City.
Army could not be denied a victory through Macailla Jane Requirme of Rizal Technological University in Mandaluyong City, who leaped 5.27 meters to win the gold in the women’s long jump. Air Force cadet Marla Jean Ramos Bacaro of UNO-R settled for second in 5:11 and another Army cadet Rodela Aros of University of Antique finished third in 5:08.
“Maganda ang talon ko ngayon. Na-injure kasi ako during practice mabuti na lang naka-rekober ako two weeks before the competition. Kaya mahalaga sa akin ang panalong ito para sa pag-papalakas ng aking tiwala sa sarili,” said the 20-year-old Requierme, a second year B.S. Physical Education student at RTU.
