RP records fall at nat'l open track and field

MANILA, Philippines – With Philippine Air Force’s Michael Embuedo leading the way, three RP records fell in Monday’s 2009 MILO National Open Invitational Track and Field Championship in Lingayen, Pangasinan. Embuedo started the record-breaking rush when he ruled the 20,000 kilometer walk in 1 hour, 33 minutes and 50 seconds, obliterating the old Philippine mark of 1:35:01 which was held by Sonny Diaz for the last 12 years. Sharing the limelight with Embuedo were Lyceum of Aparri’s Jeron Narag and Far Eastern U’s Florida Gonzalez, who duplicated the feat in the boys’ and women’s competitions, respectively. The 31-year-old Embuedo was hopeful his performance would boost his bid to become a member of the national team. “Sana ngayon mabigyan ako ng chance na maging regular member ng national team, kasi hindi pa ako naging member ng national team officially," said Bagak, Bataan native. “Pinaglalaro lang nila kasi ako at ipinapatawag pag may laban sa abroad, pero hindi ako member ng RP Team kaya iyung training ko hindi rin continuous." Embuedo carried the RP colors during the 2005 Manila Southeast Asian Games as a last minute entry, failing to land in the medal podium. “Ten days na lang bago mag-start yung SEA Games saka ako sinabihan kaya wala talaga akong training noon, tapos hinahanapan ako ng magandang performance." Ticket to RP team The National Open could be his ticket to another SEA Games campaign. Go Teng Kok, president of the organizing Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (PATAFA) has earlier declared that anybody who can break a national record will be given a chance to become make it to the RP team to 25th SEA Games in Laos in December. “Kung isasama nila ako sa Laos maglalaro ako, kasi ito yung opportunity na hinihintay ko para magtuluy-tuloy yung magandang performance ko," said Embuedo, the undisputed champion in the event since 2003. Also carving his name in the annals was Narag, who shattered the 28-year-old mark in the boys’ division. A marine transportation student at Cagayan Colleges of Tuguegarao, Narag clocked a 1:48:51.3 to wipe away the long-standing 1:53:37 record Armando Ermeo set during the 1981 National Open in Malolos, Bulacan. “Sumali po ako kasi open naman yung category," said Narag minutes after crossing the finish line. “Hindi ko nga po ini-expect na makabreak ng record kasi first time ko lang po sumali dito sa National Open." His effort earned Narag the bronze medal behind Nitas Camilus of Malaysia-Sandakan who clocked 1:45:28.7. Gonzalez joined the record-breakers club when she reached home at 2:02:06, obliterating by a good 20 minutes the previous best of 2:22:03.1 that Melinda Manahan set in the 2001 edition. All top three finishers in the women’s division actually surpassed the record as Gonzalez’s silver medal-winning teammate Carmina Bernardino timed 2:12:23.0 and bronze medalist Naomi Aing of Philippine Navy checked in at 2:14:01.0. Disappointment for top local bet In other results, SEA Games hammer throw record holder Arniel Ferrera failed to win the gold medal in his pet event. Chinese Taipei’s Yu Ta Cheng registered a golden heave of 61.31 meters to frustrate the top local bet, who hurled the metal to 58.16 meters, way below his record of 60.98 meters. University of the Philippines’ Karl Francisco took the bronze medal with 45.71 meters. In contrast to Ferrera, fellow national team mainstays Rene Herrera and Rosie Villarito easily ruled their respective events. Herrera, representing Philippine Navy, topped the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase, clocking 9 minutes and 4.90 seconds, which was way off his gold winning time (8:54:21) in the 2007 Thailand SEA Games. Gerald Sabal of Philippine Army took the silver with a time of 9:39.10, almost 8 seconds ahead of bronze medalist Van Loi Tran of Vietnam (9:47.00). Sabal’s teammate, javelin thrower Villarito won the first gold medal for the Army delegation after throwing the fiberglass spear to a winning distance of 48.53 meters. Aiza Roserro of Rizal Technological University-Mandaluyong grabbed the silver with 36.22 meters while FEU’S Kenneth Grace Ferrera got the bronze with 34.23 meters. Two wards of ex-national coach Jojo Posadas - Christopher Ulboc of FEU and Roldan Verano of Jose Rizal University - registered a 1-2 finish in the boys’ 3,000 meter steeplechase. Ulboc clocked 10:00.40, finishing 23 seconds ahead of Verano who crossed the finish line at 10:24.0. Carl Jeanette Malzarte of TCC-A salvaged the bronze medal with 10:38.00. –GMANews.TV