Marestella Torres – Joins the Legends of Track and Field

Marestella Torres – Joins the Legends of Track and Field

A career that spanned over 2 decades. After 23 years of loyal service to the national team, Marestella Torres finally hangs up the spikes and focuses on other ventures. One of the greatest ever Filipina Athletics Athletes of the 21st Century. Her feats in the Women’s Long Jump include.

• 3 Olympics
• 1 Asian Championships Gold Medal
• 4 SEA Games Golds
• SEA Record and Philippine Record in Women’s Long Jump

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Marestella Torres at 41 scores another win over Khay Santos

Torres Sunang did it again scoring 2 of 3 wins over her long-time rival Katherine Khay Santos. Marestella again at 41 showed consistency with a 6.00m jump. Khay Santos had the win over Marestella in Baguio with 6.06m on countback, then lost to Marestella at Imus 6.11m to 5.80m. And at Pasig managed only 5.67m.

Alexie Caimoso who has qualified for SEA Games in Heptathlon leaped 5.59m for t third and Abcd Agamanos the 19-year-old improved her leap from 5.47 to 5.51m.

The SEA Games standard is 6.15m, and only Marestella has achieved this with 6.15m during the qualifying period at the SEA Games 2019 when she was 4th on Countback. Khay Santos leaped 6.06m which was 9cm below the bronze standard.

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Marestella Torres – takes the win at almost 41 years of age

Imus, Cavite 27/02/2022

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38-Year-old Marestella Torres win Pre-SEA Games Meet (October 2019)

Marestella Torres Oly wins the Women’s Long Jump in 6.20m.

However, May Long Jump Parinya of Thailand 6.17m and Ngoc Ha 6.09m.

Both registered Seasons Bests (6.12m) and (6.05m) assuming they used a wing gauge in this event.

(If so, will need to update the 2019 SEA Rankings https://www.pinoyathletics.info/2019-sea-rankings-athletics/)

Torres, is 38 years old now, double the age of the 19-year-old Ngoc Ha of Vietnam.

With Maria Natalia Londa LONDA!!! Of Indonesia (6.68m on Aug 4), the 2015 SEA Games Champion and 2014 Asian Games Champion, and Bui Thi Thu Thao of Vietnam (6.37m on 16 Sep), the 2018 Asian Games and 2017 SEA Games Champion.

Rio Olympic Wrapup: Marestella Sunang

Aug 20, 2016

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In her third and possibly last Olympic Games. (she will be 39 in 2020 in Tokyo). Marestella Sunang (nee. Torres) registered a leap of 6.22m. Torres registered 6.22 on her first leap and could not beat it with 6.10 and 6.15 on her next two jumps.

While it was a far cry from the 6.72, she had leaped in Kazakhstan.

Which was a new SEA and Philippine Record and had ensured her late qualification over the 6.70 standards to enter Rio.

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Torres ended this Olympics 28th of 38 entries.

While SEA Games Champion Maria Londa of Indonesia was slightly better with a 6.29m leap placing 25th, but still far from her Gold winning leap at the SEA Games of 6.70m. Consequently, Tianna Bartoletta (USA) was the eventual winner with a leap of 7.17m ahead of Brittney Reese, who leaped 7.15m.

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And then there were three Marestella Sunang Dramatic Last Minute Qualifications for Rio 2016

Jul 6, 2016

Marestella Torres-Sunang one week before the close of the Rio Qualifications on July 11.

Dug deep and delivered the greatest performance of her athletic career.

While at the age of 35, the mother of one set a career-best of 6.72m, which was also a National Record, South East Asian Record, and Rio Olympic qualifier (6.70m). 

So this feat was done at the Kazakhstan Open in Astana on July 4, where she captured the gold.

The wind reading was +0.8, well below the legal limit of the IAAF qualifying standard of 2.0.

Marestella’s previous best was 6.71m set in 2011 at the SEA Games.

And Torres, once confirmed by IAAF, will have qualified for three Olympic games.

For Track and Field, this puts her with the same feat as  Josephine Dela Vina (Discus) 1964,68,72 and Hector Begeo (3K Steeples) 1984, 1988, 1992.

Marestella registered the 6.72m on her 6^th jump after fouling her fourth and fifth.

While it was windy and rainy in Astana but this didn’t hinder Torres.

Furthermore, the rain, the anxiety of a last-minute qualifying, and the fact that age was not really on her side meant added to the climax.

Consequently, a dramatic twist when Tabal hit the standard and Torres lost her wild card spot.

While she fought back with a career-best at the grand old age of 35.

Along with Tabal and Eric Cray, she has qualified for the Olympics.

Clear signs she is far from done despite the odds put up against her continuing to push the boulder up the hill.

Ernest Obiena also has a strong chance to qualify in the Pole Vault competing in Europe.

While his best is 5.55m at the Singapore Open, and he needs 5.70m by July 11 to book a ticket to Rio.

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Marestella Torres Sunang! bashes out 6.60m

Apr 7, 2016

35-year-old Marestella Sunang (nee. Torres) showed no signs of slowing down.

Hence, a surprise leap of 6.60m to take the gold in the women’s long jump at the 2016 Philippine National Open Championships in Pasig.

This mark puts Marestella only 10 centimeters away from the Rio Olympic Qualifying mark of 6.70m.

While Torres is now the closest to the Olympic qualifying in the athletics women’s for the Philippines.

And Her personal best of 6.71m, the South East Asian Record, was set at the 2011 SEA Games in Palembang, Indonesia.

Torres joined the national team as a teenager back in 1999, and her only pause was to give birth in early 2014.

Torres’s most recent performance at the SEA Games in 2015 was a bronze medal with a leap of 6.40m.

While 6.60m rates are among one the best jumps in her long career.

And it places her first in South East Asia for the first few months of 2016.

Also, Noor Shahidatun Nadia Mohd Zuki of Malaysia was second with 6.24m, and Kirthana Ramasamy was third with 5.80m.

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Marestella Bronze behind Asian Games Gold & Silver Medalists

June 12, 2015

In the women’s Long Jump. South East Asian Record Holder (6.71m) Marestella Torres (Philippines) a previous four times SEA Games Champion had to settle for a bronze. Hence the 34-year-old mother of one made a comeback to the South East Asian Games after missing out on the 2013 edition to give birth.

Consequently, it was unexpected improvements from two younger Jumpers, who had previously gone 1-2 at the Asian Games. Hence that caused a surprise in the Philippines. Maria Natalia Londa, 25 of Indonesia the Asian Games and SEA Games 2013 reigning champion improved her personal best from 6.56m to 6.70m. Furthermore, the leap was good enough to qualify Londa for the 2016 Rio Olympics. While Bui Thui Dao of Vietnam, 23 the Asian Games silver medallist and SEA Games. bronze medallist last time, improved from 6.46m to 6.65m. And Marestella Torres settled for the bronze with a 6.41m effort. While her teammate Katherine Khay Santos equaled her personal best to leap 6.40m to place fourth.

Most noteworthy is Londa’s winning leap was 6.39m last year. Consequently this year that leap would have only been good enough for 5th place meaning the depth of Long Jumpers in South East Asia is improving. So surprisingly in 2013, only three women leap over 6.00m now there are eight women over six meters. Also Eugenia Tan set a national record for Singapore in front of her home crowd.

RESULTS

 

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Marestella Torres’s medal would be the first for the Philippines Track and Field in 20 years at Asian Games.

Sept 1, 2014

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If Marestella Torres lands a medal in the women’s Long Jump at the Asian Games, it would be the first medal the Philippines has won in 20 years. At the same event in the Hiroshima edition, Elma Muros Posadas took the Bronze with a 6.41m leap.

If she takes it one further and lands the elusive gold, it would be the first gold medal for the Philippines Track and Field since sprint queen Lydia De Vega defended her 100m title in 1986.

Looking at the stats, Marestella, who is rapidly on the comeback trail, has a PB of 6.71m, set in the 2011 SEA Games.

Also, the southeast Asian and Southeast Asian Games Record.

Going into this competition, Marestella is ranked fifth, according to the IAAF Charts for 2014.

Chinese Duo Yanfei Jiang and  Lu Minjia of China have both leaped 6.57m and Mayookha Johny of India 6.56m (PB 6.64m 2010).

While Vietnam’s Bui Thi Xuan, who finished ahead of Marestella in the Vietnam Open, has registered 6.47m, Marestella has a season-best of 6.46m.

Marestella has the best career best than her younger opponents and will need to draw on this experience.

The winning leaps in the last 3 major Asian Championships were in the 6.50 range; a 6.50 plus jump would secure at least a medal, possibly a gold.

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Marestella leaps 6.17m at a tryout for Asian Games.

Aug 9, 2014

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Former Asian Champion, Olympian, and 5x Asian Games Champion Marestella Torres recorded a season’s best leap of 6.17m at the Phil Sports Complex on Saturday Morning.

And the 33-year-old mother of one fell short of the Asian Games fifth-place mark of 6.37m required by the POC/PSC Taskforce.

While the deadline for the Incheon meeting organizers is August 15

Cheered on by about 50 present, including POC Chairman Tom Carrasco and POC Sec-Gen Romansata Magat, as well as manager and mentor James Michael Lafferty.

Hence Marestella registered 5 of her 6 jumps.

She leaped 6.08m, 6.03m, 6.00m, 5.85m, and 6.17m, and then fouled the last jump.

The 6.17m improved on her seasonal best performance in Hong Kong, where she leaped 6.15m and a 6.26 (windy), and her last performance in Vietnam, where she leaped 6.14m.

Marestella looks like she is coming back into shape and should continue to improve this year with a few technical improvements here and there.

So far this year, she is ranked fourth in Southeast Asia behind Bui Thi Xuan (Vietnam) at 6.46m (SEA Games Bronze medalist), Maria Natalia Londa (Malaysia) at 6.37m (SEA Games Champion), and Thitima Muanjan (Thailand) at 6.22m (SEA Games Silver Medalist).

Hildilyn Diaz is also scheduled to perform today in weightlifting in a special tryout organized by the POC.

Hildilyn lifted 224 kg for Silver at the SEA Games; however, it requires a lift of 225 kg today to go to Asian Games.

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Meanwhile, 19-year-old Julian Reem Fuentes, the National Silver Medalist, and Palaro Record Holder, leaped a season-best of 7.25m to win the bronze in the Junior men’s Long Jump.

He has a personal best of 7.29m from the 2012 Palaro.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZhYM0jYEd-LW5mWUtMbEMhRz0CYZm0Vkemi2lxY6FFU/edit#gid=1977670277

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4 Ateneo athletes also competed at their own expense

1. Jose Magturo  200m 23.67 4h1 -1.4;
2. Miguel ‘Maki’ De Jesus 400 Hurdles 59.12 4h1 q ;
3. Micah Perez – 800m Final – 2.04.94 8/9;
4. Vanessa Baguwet Shotput 10.36m, 4th

 

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE

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Torres, also a former Asian champion, was delisted because of pregnancy.

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