Henry Dagmil breaks own RP, SEA Games records in long jump

US-trained Filipino athlete Henry Dagmil rewrote Philippine and Southeast Asian records with his gold-winning 7.87-meter performance in the men's long jump Monday at the 24th Southeast Asia (SEA) Games being held in Thailand. The RP record, which he himself set on June 1, 2004, was 7.83 meters. Then on Nov. 28, 2005, at the 23rd SEA Games, he set a record of 7.81 meters The well-built Filipino field specialist, who spent almost two years in California since winning in the same event in the 2005 SEA Games, actually eclipsed his own marks twice – starting with in his first attempt. Then he watched his rivals made a futile go at it six times each, according to a report issued by the Philippine delegation. Dagmil did 7.34 meters in his second try, passed his third, but fouled in his next attempt. On his fifth try, he leaped high and long at the pit – his longest distance as it turned out, because on his six attempt he only cleared 7.84 meters. "Well, I'm happy to have retained my title," Dagmil said. "I had a feeling I can do it and after virtually making it in my first attempt, what was in my mind was to jump further for the record." Only Thai Keeratikorn Janamanee, egged on by the partisan crowd, could approximate Filipino's output in a second best 7.75 made in his fourth try, following two red flag jumps that had him shaking his head each time. Malaysian Mohd Syaharul Suhaimi had 7.48 as he proceeded to the athletes' village with the bronze medal hanging his neck. Dagmil's effort was still short of the 8.02-meter Asian Games record of Al-Sabee Husein of Saudi Arabia. But given a chance, he said he would return to the US to train further and maybe break that record. "Tuloy-tuloy na sakripisyo sa training at palagay ko makukuha ko ang Asian record and, who knows, I might be able to make it to the Olympic Games next year, " he said. Women's hammer throw In the women's hammer throw, Lorelie Amahit improved her personal best to 49.79 meters but the efforts could only land her in fourth. Siti Shahida Abdullah of Malaysia, who made 52.93 meters, won the gold medal. Men's 4x100-m relay The Philippine team of Alex Gabito, Esmeraldo Pacheco, Albert Salcedo, and Jimar Aing could only finsh fifth (and third to the last) in the men's 4x100-meter relay, which was won by the Thais. Women's 100-meter hurdles Zara dela Virgo ran and hurdled the obstacles in 14.46 seconds that was only good for fourth in the finals of the women's 100-meter hurdles. Men's 400-meter run Hopes of at least matching the nine-gold medal performance at the 23rd SEA Games in the Philippines were resurrected after Julius Nieras and Ernie Candelario both barged into the finals of the men's 400-meters. Nieras submitted the best 47.15 second time in his heat, while Candelario, once the kingpin of the distance, came in second in his with 48.22. The athletics matches are being held at His Majesty the King's 80th Anniversary Stadium in Nakhon Ratchasima. - GMANews.TV