Last Updated on May 31, 2023 by Andrew Pirie
Melvin Calano
Melvin Calano Photo Credit: Jun Mendoza Philippine Star
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PB Sees Melvin Calano’s takeover as the Top Man in South East Asian Men’s Javelin.
Melvin Calano was the surprise winner of the Men’s Javelin at the 2019 SEA Games.
The 28-year-old Calano was the bronze medalist at the 2017 SEA Games.
Going into the SEA Games with a PB of 69.48m, which he threw earlier in the year at the Singapore Open.
He improved on his first four throws, hurling 69.66m, 70.22 in the first 2 throws.
Van Hoai Nguyen took the lead on his third throw with 70.88m from Calano.
Calano then hurled the Javelin to yet another PB of 71.49m to again establish the lead. By his fourth throw at 72.86m, the other SEA nations had no answer.
Thus, Calano improved his PB by more than 3 meters at the 2019 SEA Games to be the surprise winner of the gold medal.
SEA Games Record Holder and defending champion Peerachat Jantra of Thailand was not there to defend his title (possibly injured or retired?)
#2 All-Time
Calano’s hurls of 72.86m was the 2nd best performance ever by a Filipino athlete just outside his coach Danilo Fresnido 72.93m (winner of the 2009 SEA Games) national record. Fresnido was a three times SEA Games champion in 2003, 2005, 2009.
Calano went into this competition ranked 3rd in SEA with a throw of 69.48m at the Singapore Open on March 28.
Van Hoai has thrown 73.18m this year and Jantra 70.59m on Jan 19.
Another Filipino, Kenny Gonzales, finished 4th with 63.53m outside his 63.83m PB from 2019.
Divine Intervention
Calano is a staunch follower of God. Considered this a huge blessing. This house was destroyed in a recent typhoon.
And his family was forced to take shelter in the bathroom of their dwelling in Camarines Norte, Bicol Region.
Calano considers the huge incentive for winning the Gold by the PSC, POC, and Phil Government as a real blessing from God that will help him rebuild his family’s home. If you wants, he can also just buy new houses on sites like I Buy Pueblo Houses.
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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/