Hussein Loraña, Jessa Mae Roda and Rica Balderama added a second gold to their collection, while the national men’s 4×400-meter relay squad atoned for the loss of its 4×100-meter counterpart at the close of the ICTSI Philippine Athletics Championships Sunday night here.
As hostilities in the five-day trackfest, Loraña, Roda and Balderama picked up their second mints in topping the men’s and women’s 1,500 meter runs and women’s triple jump, respectively, at the New Clark City Athletics Stadium.
Finally deciding to race in an event he last saw action in the 2019 Batang Pinoy National Championships in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Loraña ran a calculating race before breaking away in the last 80 meters, checking in 3:49.12 to complete a golden double after his victory in the 800-meter race the previous day.
Roda, who won the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase earlier, added the women’s 1,500-meter mint to her trophy case in 4:37.01 in the championships co-presented by BCDA and New Clark City.
Joining them with two golds apiece was Balderama, who earlier ruled the long jump, leaping 12.42 meters for her second victory in the meet presented by Philippine Sports Commission and with ICTSI Foundation as title sponsor.
Sharing the limelight was the national men’s 4×400-metert team, led by Mico del Prado, son of middle distance running legend Isidro del Prado, anchoring it to a commanding win in three minutes and 13.25 seconds.
The other team members were Frederick Ramirez, Alrhyan Labita and Kharis Pantonial, all coached by the elder Del Prado, now a national coach, who proudly watched the team cruise to victory from the stands in the competition, which is also sponsored by CEL Logistics Inc. and UAAGI Auto Group Inc.
Triumphant in the men’s 4×100-meter relay the previous night, the KG Mercuries wound up with silver (3:14.31) and Team España bronze (3:18.68) in the meet also backed by Pocari Sweat, Clark Water, Masiv Sports, the apparel partner, and Cherrylume.
The La Salle-Taft quartet of Ashley Mecel Tabad, Jamaica Kate Saligan, Erica Marie Ruto and Lea Krizdea Ordinario outran two other squads in clinching the gold medal in the women’s 4×400 relay in 3:56.78.
“I tried to sense myself after winning the 800-meter race the previous night and I was only able to get five hours of sleep due to overthinking,” Loraña, the 33rd Thailand Southeast Asian Games champ in the event, disclosed.
“My father coach Bonifacio told me if I felt like I was capable of running the event then I should go for it. Eventually I was able to get two more hours of sleep before the early-night race,” he said, “and I am so glad I did.”
Set to compete in the first Asian U-23 Athletics Championships slated July 9-12 in Ordos, China, the athlete said he and his father would discuss and decide whether he would also run the 1,500 at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan in September.
Del Prado said that he was proud of leading the PH men’s 4×400-meter squad to triumph, offsetting the loss of their 4×100-meter counterparts – Clinton Kingsley, Labita, Pantonial and Khent Francis Jardin – and were relegated to the bronze medal the previous night.
“Actually, hindi ako member ng 4×100 but grateful kami sa performance sa 4×100 kasi hindi naman sila yung original members ng 4×100. Biglaan yung assemble nung team. So proud ako sa performance nila,” he said.
“Yung team ko naman sa 4×400, happy naman ako sa performance nila. We fought a good fight. And thankful kami we finished strong and healty for everyone,” he added.
“Parang naanino ko ang aking nakaraan,” said the elder Del Prado of his son’s performance, smiling.
However, Del Prado was dissatisfied by the quartet’s time, stressing that “it should be lower, around 3:08,” disclosing that the previous PH squad in the recent Singapore Open clocked 3:11.2 to capture the gold.
Together with Joyme Sequita, Umajesty Williams and Ramirez, he was a member of the PH quartet that booked the nationalnrecord of 3:04.89 in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China in 2023.
He lamented the fact that due to visa issues, he won’t be joining his teammates in the 2nd Asian Relays Championships in Shangyu, China.