2013 The Return of the Filipina Sprinters

2013 The Return of the Filipina Sprinters

Article by Andrew Pirie ATFS Statistician

October 27, 2013

 

2013 The Return of the Filipina Sprinters

The removal of several of our women’s sprinters from the SEA Games lineup leaves a lot of questions to be asked as 35 entries were sliced to 28 by the Taskforce. However, the Taskforce was generous to increase this number from the original 23 to 28. So sacrifices unfortunately had to be made.  Despite that, we still have a quality 28 athletes selected for SEA Games.

As a result of the cut the womens 4x100m Relay was scrapped from the lineup a new generation looking to relive the glory days of Sinoro, Punelas, Ganosa, Mercado, and Muros. The Womens 4×100 lineup of Kath Santos, Princess Joy Griffey, Kyla Richardson, and Kayla Richardson that was bound for the SEA Games was stronger than the initial lineup used in Thailand.

At the Thailand open Santos, Griffey, with Hanelyn Loquinto and Jennyrose Rosales clocked 46.63. They won Bronze after having only one day of relay practice. The fastest time since  2003. SEA Games champion Thailand won. And then the remnants of the full-strong Malaysian team (5 top female sprinters had received drug bans) were second in 46.45. However, Loquinto and Rosales blotched the change and it took 2 or 3 attempts to pass the baton.

As Kyla and Kayla had season bests of 11.93 and 11.79 compared to Loquinto’s 12.49 and Rosales’s 12.41  this automatically gives around 1.18 seconds off the total time reducing it to 45.45. Without the blotched change and passing it could be around 45.0-45.2.  While this would not be any match for Thailand at 45.00 and 45.12 Indonesia and Vietnam won Silver and Bronze.

The Philippine Record of Sinoro, Punelas, Ganosa and Mercado stands at 45.29. I am adamant this record is now under threat in the next year or so and we can now look very forward to our chances in 2015 as a SEA Games power again in the relay.

 

However, the evident growth of the Women’s Sprints had still come about.

After a long drought of successful female sprinters, the last medal at a SEA Games came from now-national coach Lerma Buluitan (2001 Bronze).

Leading the charge right now is 19-year-old Jenny Rose Rosales. Whose recent breakthrough in winning the JR Women’s 400m in Thailand. Has led to her selection for the SEA Games.

Rosales’s time of 55.87 is behind four Vietnamese sprinters (only 2 per country for SEA Games) which seeds her in a position for a possible Bronze Medal. Rosales who is coached by Elma Muros is a product of the Palarong Pambansa program. Rosales more recently had timed 55.0 and 55.5 in training but has decided to focus on the UAAP rather than SEA Games.

Meanwhile, in the Thai Open in the 100m Fil-Heritage sprinter Princess Joy Griffey, heroic fourth place in the final saw a huge turn-around from her form a few weeks ago. Griffey who has not trained for 2 years in a month lowered her time from 12.46 to 12.10 despite having to

work a full-time job. Griffey qualified for the final last and finished fourth in the process

beating a lot of SEA top-ranked sprinters. The Heroic run had inspired and motivated retired sprinters Honey Joy Ortaliz and Keizel Pedrina out of retirement.

 

2013 Philippines Womens 100m and 200m

• Please note the 2013 Rankings for Womens 100-200 will exclude any Filipino Heritage athletes who have not presented passports to the PATAFA.
• Please note the 2013 Rankings for Womens 100-200 will not consider hand times for ranking purposes

Kayla and Kyla Richardson topped the womens 100m Sprint Lists of 2013. The 15-year-old twins from the US are the 6th and 10th fastest female 100m sprinters in the country’s history.

The times were achieved during the US domestic season.

The twins had around 20 or so races this year. A lot more than what they were used to they started competing in January. The POC invited them to participate in the ASEAN Youth Games. Unfortunately, by that time of the year August, it was already their off-season and they were already tired. Kayla finished 5th in the 100 in 12.21 and Kyla 6th in 12.29 in Nanjing. In the 200m, Kyla finished 5th in the final in 25.73.

 

100m Filipina Thailand Open

26-year-old Princess Joy Griffey the National Junior Record Holder (11.75). Made a surprise return after 2 years away from the sport. With just 1 month of training, Griffey lowered her time from 12.46 to 12.10 in 3 weeks finishing fourth at the Thai Open. Griffey who is the second fastest Filipina woman ever with 11.58 after Lydia De Vega also helped the Relay team to a bronze medal in Thailand Open. (read more articles coming)

Kath Santos the 2012 National Champion clocked 12.29 in the heats of the Thai Open also qualifying through to the final but withdrawing due to quad issues. UAAP Champion Jenny Rose Rosales ran 12.41 to win the National Juniors. While National Champion Loquinto clocked season-best of 12.49 but failed to advance to the 100m finals in Thailand. The above three joined Griffey in the 4×100. (read more articles coming). Further down the list was Palaro Champion Eloisa Luzon of UST and National Youth Champion Diesto.

 

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