San Sebastian rookie Mervin Guarte unleashed a pair of record-breaking runs to grab most of the spotlight in the 85th NCAA athletics tournament at the Rizal Memorial Track and Field Oval.
Guarte, a double-gold medal winner in last year’s Palarong Pambansa in Tacloban, Leyte, copped the 3000-meter steeplechase gold in 9 minutes and 33.22 seconds, or almost half a minute faster than the three-year-old mark of 10:06.60 set by Mapua’s Jerome Berredo.
It was the second gold for the Calapan, Oriental Mindoro native after he ruled the 800m in Monday’s opener in 1:53.4, which also set a new meet mark replacing the 1:58.00 set by San Sebastian’s Jay-R Rivera three seasons back.
“I know I’m going to do good in this tournament because I’ve been really training hard since I started college,” said Guarte, a Hotel and Restaurant Management freshman, in Filipino.
It was actually the Stags’ third gold in the seniors’ division after unheralded Rolando de Ramos, Jr. came from behind to stun neophyte but heavy favorite Isidro del Prado, Jr. of St. Benilde in the 100m in 11.17, a few fraction of a second faster than the latter’s 11:20.
Letran’s Archand Christian Bagsit took the bronze in 11:31 in this event organized by Management Committee chair Jose Mari Lacson of this year’s host San Beda and deputy chair Frank Gusi of incoming season host San Sebastian.
San Sebastian’s high school team was also on track of topping the meet as it snared a couple of mints including one by Fernando Corpuz in the 800m where he clocked 2:02.82 to eclipse the two year record of 2:93.41 registered by del Prado.
CSB-La Salle Greenhills’ Jasper Tanhueco joined the elite record-breaking group as he rearranged the 11.67 junior record in the 100m by Daryl Ceballos of San Sebastian by timing in 11:19, way ahead of San Sebastian’s John Willie Jules (11.79) and teammate Benjamin Cruz (11:81).
Meanwhile, Letran high school basketball standout Glenn Khobuntin overpowered the field by topping shot put with a heave of 12.06m.
San Sebastian’s Ivan Marc Mercado and Val Christian Capacia finished second and third in 10.81m and 10.20m, respectively.
Day One
Palarong Pambansa standout Isidro del Prado, Jr. of St. Benilde bared his fangs and led the 100-meter heats in yesterday’s start of the competitions.
Del Prado, who was supposed to debut last year but didn’t meet academic requirements in time, made the most out of his debut as he clocked the qualifier’s best time of 11.18 seconds.
“He’s excited to finally see action,” said CSB coach Roselyn Hamero, a former Southeast Asian Games gold medalist referring to the son of a former national team mainstay, Isidro del Prado, Sr.
Hamero said del Prado will also see action in the 200m, 400m, 4x100m relay and 4x400m relay and should deliver a couple of golden efforts to boost the Blazers’ campaign.
“Hopefully we could surpass our fourth place finish last year,” said Hamero, whose charges finished behind last year’s champion Mapua and runners up San Sebastian and Letran.
Mapua, for its part, struck with gold in the long jump courtesy of Michael Angelo Franial.
Franial jumped to 6.82m on his third attempt that eventually turned out the best effort by anyone.
He tried to eclipse the old mark of 6.85m on his fifth and last try but could managed only 6.54.
CSB-La Salle Greenhills’ Benjie Juan finished second with 6.54m while San Sebastian’s Arjay Tebelio ended up third with 6.43m for the silver and bronze medals, respectively.
Gold medals in 110m hurdles, javelin, pole vault, 100m, 3,000m steeplechase and high jump will be staked. (NCAA Press Release)
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