Last Updated on April 16, 2023 by Andrew Pirie
2014 Palarong Pambansa Athletics Day 4
Continued from
Spicy Golds Delivered by Bicol Tracksters
May 8, 2014
Photos and Text: Airnel T. Abarra for Pinoyathletics.info
SANTA CRUZ, LAGUNA- Jhan Dale Besmonte and Edwin Requillas III cooked a sizzling victory. They captured gold in 110m hurdles and 400m dash, elementary boys, during the day five-Athletics tournament at the 2014 Palarong Pambansa here at Laguna Sports Complex, Brgy. Bubukal Sta. Cruz, Laguna on 08-May. Besmonte captured a surprising first-place finish in 110m Hurdles by clocking 17.0 seconds, while Requillas III captured gold on 400m with a time of 55 seconds flat.
The Bicolano tandem simmered the first Athletics gold for Region V in this year’s Palaro. Besmonte, who hails from San Jose, Pili, Camarines Sur (CamSur), is a CamSur Sports Academy product. At the same time, Requillas hails from Ligao City, Albay.
Official results uploaded as of 7:21 PM 08-May:
Eastern Visayas’ Leah Creer Captures 400m Crown.
May 8, 2014
Photos and Text: Airnel T. Abarra for Pinoyathletics.info
SANTA CRUZ, LAGUNA- Leah Joan Creer of Palo, Leyte reigns supreme in the 400m dash during the day five Athletics tournament at the 2014 Palarong Pambansa here at Laguna Sports Complex, Brgy. Bubukal Sta. Cruz, Laguna on 08-May. The Leytena sprinter snatched her first Athletics gold and added another one for her region’s medal haul.
Creer, the silver medalist in the century dash on 07-May, focused under pressure and winning form and clocked 59.3 seconds despite training hardships as she came from the Typhoon Yolanda-devastated province.
As her home turf, Leyte Sports Complex in Tacloban City was damaged, it didn’t affect her as well as her teammates. Creer and her teammates performed well under the mentorship of Coach Trece Academia. Creer, who just finished high school, plans to study at De La Salle University-Manila and her 100m dash princess Mary Anthony Diesto next year.
Meanwhile, on the elementary distaff side, Monic Grace Gulac of SOCKSARGEN Region stunned her rivals. She did a strong finish in 400m elementary girls hitting the finish with a time of 1:01.9 minutes. The Sinolon, South Cotabato stand-out added another gold for her region, which is also a candidate host for 2015 Palaro.
Official results uploaded as of 7:09 PM 08-May:
Emerging High Jumper Alexis Soqueno Breaks Palaro High Jump Record
May 8, 2014
Photo by Timeline/Roy Secretario photo retrieved from PalarongPambansa2014 Facebook page.
Alexis Soqueno registered a leap of 1.93m to break the Palaro Record of Paolo Martinez (STCAA) from 2002, which had stood at 1.90m. The first palaro title for the Western Visayas athlete is schoolmates with Palaro Long Jump Champion Jerry Belibestre 7.08m. The boys attend the tiny school of Romansita Maravilla in Bacolod, which has produced six champions from Batang Pinoy, Palaro, and PNG Youth Division in the last three years.
The duo is trained by brother-sister team Miguel Arca and Addy Arca.
Soqueno has had a very consistent season registering his personal best of 1.95m at the weekly relays in Bacolod, winning the Batang Pinoy title in Bacolod in 1.93m, winning the Western Visayas in Antique in 1.91m, and then adding the Palaro Record to his resume.
Soqueno’s performances were good enough for him to win the Gold at the ASEAN Youth Games, which was the last time he succeeded in 1.90m had he been sent.
The 16-year-old will next compete at the National Games in Manila, where he will be the hot favorite to win the Junior High Jump title; undoubtedly, his performance also will guarantee his selection for the ASEAN Schools at the end of the year in Manila. At the same time, a version of 2.00m is required to qualify for Asian Juniors.
2014 Palarong Pambansa Athletics Day 5
“Team Yolanda” Sparkles in 4x400m 2014 Palaro Relays.
May 9, 2014
Photos and text by Airnel T. Abarra for Pinoyathletics.info
SANTA CRUZ, LAGUNA- “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”*. This could be true when the Eastern Visayas Region Athletic Association (EVRAA) Athletics team secondary girls victory in 4x400m relays during the last day of the Athletics tournament at the 2014 Palarong Pambansa here at Laguna Sports Complex, Brgy. Bubukal Sta. Cruz, Laguna on 09-May.
Calling themselves “Team Yolanda,” EVRAA trackers overpowered their powerhouse rivals, in spite that their home region was greatly affected by typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), which significantly damaged their training facilities.
“First championship since 1948” according to their head trainer and coach, Alfonso “Trece” Academia, the Eastern Visayas team finally end its athletics medal drought and harvested victories in this years’ Palaro.
Leah Joan Creer, Karen Janario, Faiza Jean Lenton, and Gemmalyn Pino sustained their pace during the race and lanced their powerhouse rivals from CALABARZON and Western Visayas, and clocked a crystal precise performance of 4:04.0 minutes. While on the 4x100m, the Western Visayas Region got the gold as the tournament officials gave EVRAA DQ a decision.
Back-to-back Palaro Sprint Medals for “Team Yolanda”
May 9, 2014
Photos and Text: Airnel T. Abarra for Pinoyathletics.info
SANTA CRUZ, LAGUNA- Leah Joan Creer and Karen Janario of Eastern Visayas Athletic Association (EVRAA) captured gold and silver medals in the 200m dash secondary girls day six Athletics tournament at the 2014 Palarong Pambansa here at the Laguna Sports Complex, Brgy. Bubukal Sta. Cruz, Laguna on 09-May. Dubbed the members of “Team Yolanda” because their home region was greatly affected by the super typhoon that devastated their community last year.
Creer and Janario, who clocked an identical finish of 25.8 seconds, beat the limitations of storm-destroyed training facilities and managed to outlast their event rivals. Creer, who already captured first place in the 400m dash, had already 2 golds on her neck while the robust 15-year old Janario; also the 2013 Batang Pinoy champion in Hurdles, is feasting to a total of three medals (2 Bronze and 1 Silver) as of press time.
Meanwhile, on the elementary distaff side, Karyll Clarissa Enrico of CALABARZON captured gold with a time of 27.2 seconds, while SOCKSARGEN’s Tresha Mae Arevalo clocked 23.3 seconds, catching the silver medal, and Enrico’s comrade Imary Ruth Samano (CALABARZON) sneaked out the bronze with a time of 27.4 Seconds.
NCR’s Jomar Udtohan Palaro records Does Grand Slam Record Break in Palaro Sprints
May 9, 2014
17-year-old Jomar Udtohan running for NCR did a fantastic job tidying up all three of the sprint records at the Palarong Pambansa. Gando coaches Udtohan at San Sebastian College. The young Udtohan cruised through the heats in 11 flats in the 100m before destroying a field comprised of the best high schoolers the country had to offer in the Men’s 100m Final.
Pushing out hard at the start, Udtohan made up 2m on the whole field after just 50m into the race. Udtohan, who was more muscle-bound than his opponents, who stand 5’5, unleashed a devastating second race portion, which saw him surge another 3m on the field to win by 6 strides over Bautista.
Udtohan’s time of 10.8 seconds broke a Palaro Record that had been shared by four athletes at 10.9 seconds Julio Bayaban (1979), Ronald Calaunan (1998), Emmanuel De Ocampo (2006), and Daniel Noval (2010). Bayaban became the junior record holder in the 100 and 200 at the time, which has now been eclipsed.
Daniel Noval from Cebu is the current 100m Junior Record Holder which he established 10.65et in 2012. (after checking the official results from previous years, the palaro records seem to overlook several of these former record-holders).
Surprisingly this was not Udtohan’s best effort as he had run an electronically timed 10.88 to break the NCAA Record (the equivalent of 10.6 hand-timed).
Not wasting time
Nevertheless, Jomar Udtohan palaro records didn’t waste any time going under the Palaro Record in the heats of 200m with a time of 22.0. In the final Udtohan. The last will be tomorrow.
After clocking the fastest time in the heats of 50.3, Jomar Udtohan Palaro Records again with a run of 48.9; the former record was held by Rodrigo Tanuan (who was 21 years old? at the time 49.5).
Udtohan has now tidied up all three of the records. His win was at the expense of teammate Jaime Mejia who was the favorite to win this event and had presented better ability over the 400m the last few years.
Udtohan Hatrick tidies up the Palaro Boys Sprint Records
Udtohan in his final stretch in 200m crafting grand slam in Palaro sprints.
Photos and Text: Airnel T. Abarra for Pinoyathletics.info
SANTA CRUZ, LAGUNA- National Capital Region (NCR) athlete Jomar Udtohan did a record sweep in sprints. He captured his third gold in the 200m dash secondary boys during the day six Athletics tournament of the 2014 Palarong Pambansa here at the Laguna Sports Complex, Brgy. Bubukal Sta. Cruz, Laguna on 09-May.
The capital city fast man added another medal in his neck by crafting a stellar performance in 200m by clocking 21.8 seconds, which pulverized the 16-year record of Ronald Caluanan of CAVRAA set in 1998. The San Sebastian College prodigy previously smashed Palaro records in 100m at 10.8 seconds and 48.7 seconds, which garnered him triple golds.
Elementary Boys
Edwin Requillas III of Bicol Region snatched another gold to reign in the century dash. By running at 25.3 seconds at the elementary level. Making this his second gold in this year’s palaro. Following him is Lynch Mananquil of WVRAA, which clocked 25.4 seconds. And settling for bronze is Nickson Maramag of Cagayan Valley with a time of 25.6 seconds.
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