Last Updated on March 9, 2023 by Andrew Pirie
2015 SEA Games Selection Methodology
2015 SEA Games Selection Methodology Mens 800m
The 2013 SEA Games in Naypyidaw saw Malaysian Mohd Riduan Jironi finally win the SEA Games gold. Jiorni had been chasing for so many years in 1:50.98, Mervin Guarte was second in 1:51.51 and Duong Van Thai of Vietnam the 2011 SEA Games Champion settled for Bronze in 1:51.51. It was an epic race. Van Thai sitting back and then kicking with 250m to go. Guarte went with him.
But it was the patience of the battle-hardened Jironi who let out a devastating deadly double kick the last 120m. Pulling away from Guarte and Van Thai to win the 2013 SEA Games. Van Thai faded in the final meters of the race allowing Guarte to nip him for the silver.
There were no qualifiers at the National Games or Weekly Relays. And athletes were even further off target at the UAAP and NCAA. The closest athlete to the standard besides Guarte during the period who had run 1:52.26 at the National Games was Elbren Neri who had run 1:52.60 to bag second at the ASEAN University Games in December of 2014. It looked like no one else was going to land the mark.
Vilog has an epic qualifying mark, but school rules prevent him from joining SEA Games
The last qualifying meets the National Open in Laguna from March 19-22. What unfolded left a lot to the imagination. Mervin Guarte who had already presented a letter to the PATAFA would not be competing at the national open. As he was comfortable that two runners would not break the SEA Games standard of 1:51.62 instead, he decided to focus on the 1500m.
It was last year’s Bronze medalist Marco Vilog of Phil Airforce who set a formidable 51.6 first lap. In retrospect. John Lozada had run 51.9 when he went on to set the Philippine Record of 1:47.77 in the Asian Grand Prix back in 2003. The gutsy first lap saw Vilog well ahead of the rest of the field. With Vilog straining to hold the pace his teammate Wenlie ‘The Fishman’ Maulas a perennial silver medalist at the National Champion began to make his move with 150m to go trying to chase down Vilog. Vilog held on with
Fishman closed him down very quickly. Kesavan of Malaysia was third.
Vilog was happy about the win. And Maulas had to be content with another silver medal for his growing collection of silver medals at national championships. However, Vilog thought he had maybe run 1:52 something but was overjoyed to hear he had just run 1:51.60 .02 seconds below the SEA Games qualification. Wenlie Maulas also went home with some satisfaction from a new personal best time of 1:51.91.
PRISAA Rules Vilog Out
The excitement soon became an issue when it was ruled Vilog still has another year in the PRISAA. And PRISAA rules would not allow him to play at the SEA Games as he may lose his scholarship. Also, he had no accreditation and no Filipino passport so late in the selection process.
With this in mind, the Fishman’s luck changed as he was selected. To join Mervin Guarte in the SEA Games 800m due to the ineligibility of Vilog. It would be the first time 26-year-old Wenlie would qualify for the SEA Games having given many years of loyal service to athletics as a multiple UAAP Champion in his younger years.
Later on, the Fishman went on to end his streak of endless silver medals by winning the Singapore national title the following week.
SEA Games 2015: Selection Methodology Men’s 1500m
The 2013 SEA Games in Naypyidaw saw a very low qualifying standard. Compared to previous standards with the Gold and silver being tied at 3:58.02 and bronze at 3:58.3. Surprisingly the Filipino entry in this event National and National Junior Record Holder who finished with silver in this event in 2011 in Palembang SEA Games wound up fourth in 3:58.43.
It was going to be a relatively easy event to qualify in. With the qualifying period for the SEA Games from December 2013 to March 2015, as the Philippines had no medalists there were no proxy qualifiers.
The first set of qualifiers came at the 2014 National Games in May. Mervin Guarte won at 3:55.10, ahead of Wenlie Maulas. Maulas ran a new PB of 3:58.30 the duo hitting the gold and bronze standards.
Weekly Relays Verano breaks through and brings Rudyfer with him
When we came around to the Weekly relays which like the National Games were held in Pasig and ran from July to October. It was an interesting development. With Maulas and Guarte opting not to participate in the 1500m here. It was Roldan Verano of PLDT who was third in the National Open in 3:59.74 who would improve his time first to 3:58 and then eventually register 3:55.3, 3:55.4, and 3:55.8 (usually 3 stopwatches used) (gold standard) showing great improvement and consistency throughout the weekly relays. His training partner and former schoolmate Rudyfer Hernandez of JRU took advantage of the fast pace Verano set and also clocked 3:57.8 (bronze standard).
National Open Guarte is Dominant
There were no more qualifiers during the UAAP and NCAA or Uni Games. Then at the national open in March, the final qualification meet there was an interesting set of results. Mervin Guarte won in 3:54.87, taking his fifth national title and securing his qualifying spot for one of the two slots.
The interesting development was the PRISAA Champion SonyWagdos who was running for ‘Team Titus’ here and reduced his PB from 3:58.2 to 3:55.75. Wagdos raced his life latching onto Guarte who kicked hard away from the rest of the field and chased him to the line.
Wagdos has a passport as he won a gold medal in the Philippines in the BIMPA Games. However, he had not been accredited by the association. As he was not a strong contender before the deadline for accreditation which was several months ago.
He is also at the University of Mindanao a PRISAA school that does not allow National athletes to participate in the PRISAA meets. Guarte and Wagdos were the only two to hit the standard during the national open. The third was Rudyfer in 3:58.49 and Maulas clocked in at 4:01, Verano who struggled with cramps was a very distant 4:05.
The Decision for the second spot
It was very obvious the first spot was to go to Guarte the Fastest time during the qualification period and PNG and National Open Champion. The second slot would go to Wagdos had been accredited and risked his PRISAA scholarship. Therefore as nobody else at the open hit, the qualifying mark and the performances within the qualifying period were now examined.
It was Roldan Verano who had run 3:55 3x had the second-fastest qualifying time and run the gold standard three times showing consistency. Verano was advised he must be more frequent in training on condition he would line up for SEA Games to avoid a relapse of his poor race at the national open.
SEA Games 2015 Archives: Four Relay Teams Proposed
Mulling through my data this is what I found this article on the proposal of four relay teams for the SEA Games. This article was never published due to the high volume of articles I had queued at the time. It’s interesting to note if the Philippines will ever be able to field four relay teams at the SEA Games level. Knowing that crucial athletes at most times pull out at the last minute.
I am an ideas man and this is one idea that didn’t materialize although we did end up with a Women’s 4×100 and Men’s 4×400 which placed 6th (45.64 3rd fastest all time) and the men got bronze with the 2nd fastest of all time in a 3.06.
Simple Plans work Four Relay Teams Proposed
I want to begin by stating that life is full of complications. So it gives me peace of mind knowing it’s the simple plans that work.
My first review analysis of the 2015 SEA Games team in Athletics. Will be about the benefits of fielding four relay teams at the SEA Games. After briefly discussing it vocally with the task force and several national coaches. It’s clear there is a lot of strong support so I have decided to put this simple plan into writing.
I am willing to state in writing that if we build now all four of our relay teams we can land a medal in each relay. I can only say for certain the 4×4 men will get gold. As we face stiff opposition from better-prepared more established teams such as Vietnam and Thailand.
Participation
Furthermore as per PATAFA head coach Dario De Rosas “If we don’t send teams now when will it be ?” said the veteran coach who strongly supported the initiative. The benefits of strong relay teams now are it is going to inspire a new generation of sprinters some of who are probably not even born at this time of writing.
Just like the ‘Invitational A’ concept, I came up with at the Weekly Relays at no cost just a ‘simple plain plan’. That worked getting the best sprinters against each other week after week. And week out and also inspiring young athletes who one day hoped to be in the Invitational A.
If lined up a new generation of sprinters who are looking to make their debut at the SEA Games will be in action. Anyway, this article will explore the individuals, composition, and statistical side of our teams versus countries. Please note the task force prefers if each member is in an individual event also. The Fil-Heritage program has helped complete the local lineups with athletes featured in all four relays.
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Andrew was elected Vice President of the Association of Track and Field Statisticians in 2020 after being a member for 7 years.
He has worked as a PSC Consultant and Research Assistant from 2013-2015, Consultant, and Sprint Coach at Zamboanga Sports Academy from 2015-2017. And Currently is Consultant Coach with VMUF 2021-
Current editor and chief of Pinoyathletics.info, and has recently done consultancy work for Ayala Corp evaluating the Track and Field Program.
Coaches Sprints, Middle and Jump events he is Level 3 Athletics Australia Coaching Certification in Sprints and Hurdles.
Currently working towards a Masters Degree in Education.
He can be contacted on [email protected]
You can find more information on Coaching here
http://www.pinoyathletics.info/coaching-2/