RECORD performances continued in the University Athletics Association of the Philippines athletics and swimming competitions, with Edna Magtubo shining brightest on Friday at the Athletics Stadium of the New Clark City Sports Hub in Capas, Tarlac.
Far Eastern University’s Magtubo setting a new league record in the women’s 5000 meters to spark the defending champions’ resurgence after trailing the University of Santo Tomas early in the meet.
The second-year standout clocked 17:59.13, breaking the 13-year-old mark of Mercedita Manipol (17:59.22) by just nine milliseconds.
National University’s Jesse Roda came in a close second with a time of 17:59.50, just 37 milliseconds behind Magtubo, while FEU’s Nicole Diloy completed the podium with 18:03.01.
At the Aquatics Center here, Ateneo’s Miguel Martinez matched the long-standing UAAP record of former Blue Eagle Rian Tirol in the boys’ 50-meter breaststroke.
Martinez clocked 51.04 seconds during the morning preliminaries of the championships.
The Lady Tamaraws, aiming for back-to-back titles and their 26th women’s athletics crown overall, also struck gold in the women’s javelin throw.
Ana Espenilla unleashed a best throw of 48.00 meters as UP’s Chrizzel Lanipa bagged silver with a 38.08-m thrown and and UE’s Janice Nemi earning bronze with 37.18 meters.
Meanwhile, National University finally broke through with its first gold of Season 88, thanks to Rico Jay Patanao, who pulled off the tournament’s biggest upset so far in the men’s 10,000 meters.
The one-and-done Bulldog outlasted reigning MVP Alfrence Braza of FEU, finishing with a time of 32:44.72 against Braza’s 32:52.39.
UP’s Roy Laudit bagged bronze with 32:56.66.
UST’s Azeneth Serat, 21, earlier defended her title in the women’s 5,000-meter racewalk and broke a 16-year-old record previously held by Far Eastern University’s Florida Gonzales.
Serat set a new mark of 26:04.63, eclipsing Gonzales’ 27:27.73.
The athlete from Bukidnon finished well ahead of University of the Philippines’ Juliana Talaro (27:44.80) and Julianne Bayola (29:21.33).
Season 85 MVP Lianne Pama delivered UST’s second gold medal after ruling the women’s 100 meters with a blistering 11.82 seconds-the only sub-12 performance in the final.
FEU’s Shane Ponce (12.00) and Annie Mercurio (12.24) settled for silver and bronze, respectively.
On the men’s side, Hokkett Delos Santos maintained his dominance in the pole vault, claiming another gold with 4.50 meters to lead a UST sweep of the podium.
Mejen Sumbongan (4.30) and Sean Harry Narag (4.20) completed the 1-2-3 finish.
Susan Ramadan captured gold in the 800 meters with a time of 2:12.25.
The FEU senior edged UP rookie Mary Jane Pagayon (2:14.10) and Adamson University’s Ligan Duhaylungsod (2:14.46).