By Kristel Satumbaga
ILAGAN, Isabela – Ann Katherine Quitoy made waves in the 2019 Ayala Philippine Athletics Championships late Thursday after surpassing the 21-year-old national junior record in javelin throw at the City of Ilagan Sports Complex here.
The Bacolod City bet threw the 600-gram spear to a distance of 44.71 meters to rip the old mark of 44.54m mark which Rosie Villarito set in the 1998 National Open.
University of Santo Tomas’ Lanie Carpentero was at far second with 41.93m while Tina Rosete, who finished silver in the 14thSoutheast Asian Youth Athletics Championships early this week, settled for bronze in 34.28m.
Charmaine de Ocampo of Dasmariñas City Athletics also shone in the girls division after clinching her fourth gold medal in the 1500 meters.
The 16-year-old De Ocampo timed 5 minutes and 9.98 seconds to best Mary Joy Trupa (5:11.21) and Team Baguio City’s Ira Mae Gali (5:11.24).
She claimed her first gold on Wednesday in the girls 800m (2:20.91) then teamed up with twin sister Charlaine de Ocampo, Krisleen Shane Santiago and Aaliyah Ingram a few hours later for the 4x100m relay gold (50.47sec).
She and her relay teammates returned on Thursday to capture the 4x400m relay gold (4:04.40).
Fil-American Robyn Brown, whose mother hails from Cavite, also boosted her bid to make it to the Southeast Asian Games-bound national team after reaping three gold medals.
The middle-distance runner ruled the 400m hurdles on Wednesday in 61.27sec, then prevailed in the 4x400m women’s relay with Fil-foreigners Kayla Richardson, Zion Nelson and Kristina Knott in 3:55.20 on Thursday.
She sealed her campaign with a golden feat in the mixed 4x400m relay with Eloisa Luzon, Francis Medina and Michael del Prado in 3:33.44 on Friday.
Harry Diones, who won silver in the 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEAG, also retained his triple jump crown with a leap of 16.08m, but failed to eclipse his national record of 16.70m.
Mervin Guarte also ruled the men’s 1500m in 3:58.20 though it was five seconds slower than his bronze-medal performance at the 2017 SEAG where he timed 3:53.68.
Army’s Larry Andaya also shared Thursday’s honors by capturing the men’s 10,000m walk in 57:40.72, beating Team Titus Athletics’ Hurjay Yumul (59:47.50) and John Oliver Abiang (1:02:55.83).
Reigning SEAG gold medalist Rayzamshah Wan Sofian of Malaysia made his presence felt by dominating the men’s 110m hurdles with a time of 14.12sec ahead of 2017 SEAG bronze winner Clinton Bautista (14.22sec) and EJ Obiena (14.85sec).
Veteran Marestella Torres-Sunang expectedly topped the women’s long jump but latter announced that the coming SEA Games would be her last.
She won the gold in 6.11-meter but it was a far cry from her 2011 SEAG record of 6.71m.
