Zion Corrales-Nelson 2014-2015

Zion Corrales-Nelson 2014-2015

Zion Corrales-Nelson
Former Philippine 400-meter National Record Holder Zion Corrales-Nelson completed a treble of runs on April 28 at Brutus Hamilton Open, Berkeley California.

Representing the CSU Berkeley Bears, the 5’8 Zion Corrales-Nelson sped to a new PB of 11.77 (0.5), improving 11.79 from last year, retaining the #7 all-time list for the Philippines.  Last year as a junior, Nelson is the #4 all-time list for Junior Philippines.

The mark also put Zion Corrales-Nelson #2 in the SEA Rankings behind Le Tu Chinh of Vietnam, 11.67 during the Asian Grand Prix.

The performances of 11.36 and 11.54 by Zulkifli of Malaysia are highly doubtful due to some rather doubtful timing in South Africa and performances afterward in Singapore being way off.  SEA Games 100m Champion Kayla Richardson of the Philippines is still yet to register a run in 2017 in the 100m, her twin sister Kyla.

Nelson then timed another PB at the same event in the 200 in 23.74.

Hence leading the South East Asian Rankings. Ahead of SEA Silver medallist Kayla Richardson 23.76. Zulkifli 23.80.

And SEA Games Champion Shanti Veronica Pereira  (Singapore) 23.87. This was a significant improvement from her 24.15 times set 3 years ago. Making her #3 on the Philippine Junior and Senior all-time lists.

Richardson also clocked a 55.04 in the 400m improving on her season’s best of 56.99. Her best time was 54.18, the National and National Junior record until a few months ago when Kayla Richardson broke it with a 53.81 run.

Nelson has hit the bronze standards this year for SEA Games in the 100 and 200. She ran the 100 at National Open in April, finishing with the silver behind an athlete from Hong Kong.  Nelson still needs to clock 54.24 to qualify for the 400 individual events.

 

ZionCN accepts an offer to UCAL Berkeley Golden Bear.

Nov 20, 2015

Zion signs for the University of Berkeley

Philippine 400m Record Holder Zion Corrales-Nelson has accepted an NCAA Div 1 scholarship to California Berkeley. Furthermore, just a few days ago, Pinoyathletics.info reported that the Richardson twins had accepted an offer to USC. At the same time, Zion will be taking up Bio-Engineering.

And Zion will be training under Coach Tony Sandoval. Most noteworthy is that he has been coaching the school since 1982. At the same time, the University of Berkeley was founded in 1868.

Especially relevant is that Zion currently holds the Philippine Record and Philippine Junior Record in the 400 Meters. Timing a 54.18 run at the British Columbia school champs in 2014. Hence she broke the National and Junior Record of Jenny Rose Rosales (54.65) set at the 2013 UAAP Championships.

While most mainstream media reported she broke Lydia De Vega Junior Record this is Incorrect. And inaccurate as Rosales had already broken De Vega National and Junior Record (54.75, 1981).

Also, Zion took Bronze at the Asian qualifying leg of the Asian Youth Games in Bangkok in both the 200 and 400.

While due to injuries, Zion was unable to participate in the 2015 SEA Games; her best time in 2015 was 55.90.

And the Fil-Jamaican sprinter who grew up in Canada acquired her passport last year. Also, Zion is the youngest athlete on the roster of the Philippine National training pool.

New Era Dawns for Filipino sprinting as Fil-Heritage Zion Corrales-Nelson butchers women’s 400m Record

May 31, 2014

After eclipsing the Philippines National Record and National Junior Record in the heats of the British Columbia school championships in 54.64, the 5’7 Nelson easily won the gold medal at the meet very comfortably with a time of 54.18 in the Girl’s 400m.

The 15-year-old, whose best was 54.94 last year, is perhaps the find of the season for Philippine Athletics. This performance comes off the back of a successful season. Zion has already qualified for the World Juniors in Oregon in July in the 200 and 400, where she will join Kayla Richardson, who runs the 100 and 200. Zion will also try and break the 100m standard for World Juniors, which stands at 11.90. Her best is 12.03.

Zion has a Jamaican father and a Filipino mother.

She requires a time of 53.71 by March to qualify for the 2015 SEA Games next year in Singapore.

 

Zion Corrales Nelson breaks National 400m Record of Jenyrose Rosales (with video)

May 30, 2014

Video and Results and Photo c/o Editha Corrales-Nelson

Fil-Heritage sprinter Zion Corrales-Nelson has unofficially broken the National Record. Also, the National Junior Record. Both were held by Jenny Rose Rosales of the University of the East. And set Rosales’s record at the 2013 UAAP Championships last December. Once ratified, it will mean that Nelson is the country’s youngest-ever Record Holder.

The performance is subject to ratification/ Pinoyathletics is compiling official results. We need to obtain the photo finish from the organizers.

Zion clocked 54.64, which was a national and national junior record. Previous Jenny Rosales 54.65 Nat and Nat JR Rec. Also, previous to that, in 1981 Lydia De Vega Mercado 54.75.

While Jenny was 19 when she set the record, and Lydia was 17. Lydia then focussed more on the 100 and 200 from there on in. Zion is 15 years old and turning 16 near the end of the year.

Hence this gives her until 2017 to improve on the junior record she has established.

Zion and her family did not realize they had surpassed the National Record. They were just happy that she had surpassed the 55.16 criteria set by the IAAF to qualify her for World Juniors. The next benchmark is the 53.71 bronze medal standard to head to the 2015 SEA Games in Singapore next June. And hopefully, a spot in the National Training Pool.

While she made her debut representing the Philippines at the Youth Olympic Games qualifiers in Thailand. She got two bronzes in the 200m and 400m dash with 24.30/24.44, qualifying her for world juniors in the 200m and 56.04.

But in the meantime, for the 15-year-old Corrales-Nelson, a 54.64 performance got her through the fastest of the heats. During the British Columbia High School Championships, and will focus on winning that event. She could lower that record again in the finals. This catalyst will surely bring about a rapid improvement in all Filipino women’s 400m pushing towards the 53.71 now that the BENCHMARK has been set.

Zion Corrales-Nelson qualifies for the World Juniors in 200m

May 23, 2014

Zion proudly displayed the flag after winning two sprint medals for the Philippines in her first race. As a result, in July, Zion Corrales-Nelson became the second-ever athlete to qualify for the prestigious World Junior Championships in Oregon, the US.

The 15-year-old Fil-Canadian clocked 24.44 in the heats of the 200 meters in Bangkok,

At the Asian leg of the Youth Olympic Games, Thailand is a personal best and below the required 24.50 World Juniors standards.

In the final, Zion went on to run 24.30 and again break her best time and further justify their selection for World Juniors. Zion took the bronze behind two Chinese athletes, with her time being mere thousandths from the silver medal.

Zion now joins Fil-American Kayla Richardson, 16, who has run 11.78 and 24.03 in the World Juniors.

18-year-old Ernest John Obiena, training in Italy, is hitting the 5.05m qualifier for the Pole Vault, on June 16. Obiena leaped 5.00m at the SEA Games and also at an indoor meet in Taipei.

Zion Corrales-Nelson wins a Bronze for the Philippines at Youth Olympic Qualifiers.

May 21, 2014

A young Fil-Canadian made her international debut for the Philippines.

 

15-year-old Zion Corrales-Nelson won a bronze medal for the Philippines at the Youth Olympic Qualifiers in Bangkok, Thailand. Nelson was the sole representative of the Philippines at this meeting. The Canadian-based athlete took the Bronze in the 400m Dash with a time of 56.04. Her best performance from last year was 54.94.

 

Zion Nelson has run 24.54 this year in the United States and needs to run 24.50 and 55.16 to qualify for the Philippines as the World Juniors in Oregon (July) by June 16.

 

Only the top two from Asia go through this event; it’s unsure if Nelson will progress to this event’s finals in China in August.