By Kristel Satumbaga
Mia Guillergan, born to Filipino parents in Australia, broke the world record in the 5,000 meters for 11-year-olds old during the recent weekly Manly Warringah Little Athletics meet at the Narrabeen track in New South Wales, Australia.
Pinoyathletics.info first reported the feat of the 11-year-old Guillergan, who clocked 17 minutes and 41.03 seconds which is 18 seconds faster than the 1977 mark of American Kathy Kiernan
“I was so relieved because I have tried to beat it for a long time and I had gotten so close,” the Fil-Australian said in an interview with Australian newspaper Daily Telegraph on Tuesday.
Interestingly, Guillergan’s mark was faster than the bronze-medal performance of PH bet Joida Gagnao (17:52.16) during the 2019 Southeast Asian Games held atNew Clark City Athletics Stadium in Pampanga.
Guillergan, whose mother Anabel hails from Oton, Iloilo, said she drew inspiration from her grandfather, whom she said almost made it to the Olympics.
She hopes to fulfill that dream on her grandfather’s behalf someday.
Guillergan’s paternal grandfather was Robert Guillergan, who represented the Philippines in the 4x400m event during the 1962 Asian Games.
