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Former National Sprinter and Coach Orlando passed away today.
In his prime, a handy sprinter was a 10.6 man but was at such a great era for Filipino male sprinters; he was never competitive enough to be on the Men’s 4×100 team.
Born October 23, 1944.
Orlando Lampa the Sprinter
Lampa first came to prominence during the 1959 BPISAA winning the schoolboy titles as a 15-year-old 100m 11.2 and 200m in 22.8.
In 1960 he lost his school title to Hurdler Romualdo Masicampo 10.6 to 10.8 (PAAF, 1960 April, p.6). Lampa would claim his first senior national title in the 200m in 22.7 at the tender age of 16 (PAAF, 1960 May, p.5).
The photo is from the Benavides Library, and those wanting to use it must obtain permission from the library before using it. (PAAF, 1960, p. 3).
At the peak of his powers by 1963, Lampa clocked 10.6 to win the BPISAA title and 21.8. Both national junior records. Clocking 11.0 in 1965.
In the 1966 Asian Games, he ran a slumberish 23.0 eliminating him from the heats. He further improved his 200m to 21.6 in 1969. In 1970 he was disqualified by the officials in a BPISAA Final for elbowing Tokal Mokalam.
Orlando Lampa, the Coach and Mentor
Lampa, a buoyant and optimistic man, motivated his athletes by encouraging them.
The province of Rizal amassed a formidable roster of athletes who made the national team in the early 1970s under his guidance.
He was not a hurdler, but he played a part when I set my Philippine Record (of 14.3 in the 100-meter hurdles),” said 1972 Olympian Lucila Salao-Tolentino in a phone interview with Rappler.
“The (11.5) of (Rizal and Olympic teammate) Amelita Alanes and the 4×100 meter women’s relay records came when he was coach,” added Tolentino,
Elmer Reyes and Jaime Sabado, both from Rizal, held the 110m hurdles Record in 1972.
Aquilino Onofre, the younger brother of Filipino sprint king Roger Onofre, remembers Lampa as a lovely man.
“He greeted me when he meets,” Onofre said in a phone interview.
After years of being out of track and field, Lampa returned as the Navy track and field team coach, which won the 1987 national open championship.
According to former national coach Buddy Ravello, Lampa was “powerful” as a sprinter, a sprinter then for UP in the mid-1960s.
Orlando’s son Rolando Lampa later coached and held the National Junior 100m Record from 1994 to 2001.
His family will hold Lampa’s wake at the Loyola Guadalupe until November 3.
References:
Former PH sprinter Orlando Lampa dies. (2020, November 2). RAPPLER. https://www.rappler.com/sports/former-philippine-sprinter-orlando-lampa-dies
PAAF (1960, April) The Filipino Athlete. Mindanao Breaks Holds on Interscholastics.
PAAF (1960, May) The Filipino Athlete. Track Field Nationals.
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