PI Wangkay throws absolutely everything into the 400M in Batang Pinoy and comes out with an Age Grade Record.
(20 December 2022)
A familiar Orange singlet loomed over the line first in the Boys 400 at Vigan in the Batang Pinoy (Philippine Sports Commission Grassroots Program) Pi Durden Forward Wangkay has clocked 52.59 to shatter the Filipino Age Grade Record for 13-year-old boys in 400m. Wangkay who represents Binan smashed the 55.67 mark of Pearl James Vente of Lanao set at 2016 Palarong Pambansa in Legazpi City.
It was a well-fought race with Virgilio Ramos of Laguna Province leading until the last 10 meters. When Wangkay moved up on his shoulder Ramos stuck his arm forward to try and reach the line first but Wangkay drove his torso over first. Ramos took silver in 52.67, and Jireh Rance of Masbate Sports Academy bronze in 54.84.
Pi made a name for himself on the circuit at the 2022 PATAFA Weekly Relays and the UAAP. Racing against and beating kids much older than him. He finished silver on Day 1 18th December with 23.51, breaking his age grade record of 23.96 set in the Weekly Relays just 19 days ago.
Pi is the son of 1999 ASEAN University Games 400m Women’s Champion Jonah Genilza who also happens to be his coach.
In our last Article from Weekly, Relays photo was posted of Wangkay casually munching on a sandwich. When asked what it is in the sandwich Jonah said he runs on Ham, Egg, and Cheese.
(2 December 2022)
Do you know this kid? he may be innocently munching on a sandwich right now but he is making a name for himself this track season.
Pi again improved on his best times in the High school division of the UAAP with 11.84 and 23.96 both times joint age grade records for 13-year-old Filipinos with (11.4 & 23.7 of Nasser H. Tacongcong set in 1998 Palarong Pambansa).
Next up he will contest the 200,400,800 at the National Batang Pinoy in Vigan on Dec 17-22.
(20 November 2022)
A name to watch out for in the years to come is Pi Durden Forward Wangkay. Pi is a Grade 8 Student at De La Salle Santiago Zobel School. The hardworking Wangkay improved every round of the 200m.
And while he may have only finished 8th in the recently concluded 2022 PATAFA Weekly Relay Finals at Pasig. And his time of 24.02 might not be anything special overall in the Mens Youth Division. Consider that he is competing against boys that are up to 4 years older than him.
But what makes it even more remarkable is Wangkay time of 24.02 at 13, which is actually a Filipino Age Grade Record. Comparable to the Palaro Elementary Record of Nasser Tacongcong of ARMM of 23.7ht set in the 1998 Edition at Bacolod.
Wangkay who is already 5’8 is coached by his mother Jonah Garao Genilza. And athletics is certainly in the blood as Jonah was the 1999 ASEAN University Games 400m Champion at Rajamangala, Thailand.
Next up for Wangkay is UAAP Dec 4-10 (100,200,400, relays) at Pasig and Batang Pinoy in Vigan Dec 17-22 where he plans to run the 100/200/400 where again he will continue to gain experience against the older boys.
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.
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/
