PHL's Herrera claims SEA Games steeplechase gold

Rene Herrera claimed another gold for track and field late Saturday night taking the 3,000 meter steeplechase in the athletics competition of the 2011 Southeast Asian Games in Jakabaring Sports Complex in Palembang, Indonesia. Herrera clocked eight minutes and 52.23 seconds to continue his reign as Southeast Asia's top steeplechaser having won the last four editions of the event. Indonesia's Muhammad Al Quraisy finished second with a time of 8:55.91 while Vietnam's Nguyen Dang Duc Ba settled for the bronze with a clocking of 8:57.88. Herrera's gold was the fourth for the country and the second for track and field following the Marestella Torres' conquest in women’s long jump. The poomsae trio of Camille Alarilla, Rani Ann Ortega and Janice Lagman, and lightweight jin Maria Camille Manalo also contributed gold medals for the Philippines in the first day of active competition. Meanwhile, the Philippine swimming team failed to take home a medal in the first day of competitions Saturday night. Jose Joaquin Gonzales missed the bronze medal by two seconds as he finished fourth in the 400m individual medley with a clocking of 4:33.30. Jasmin Alkhaldi checked in at seventh in the 200m freestyle with a time of 2:07.27 while Banjo Borja finshed dead last among eight swimmers in the 400m individual medley (4:40.12). — JVP, GMA News