PH tracksters bag 5 medals in Taipei tournament

THE national track and field squad bagged two golds, two silvers and one bronze in the 2015 Taiwan Open Athletics Championship held in Taipei.

Myanmar Southeast Games silver medalist Mervin Guarte delivered the country’s first gold after ruling the men’s 1,500- meter run in three minutes and 54.09 seconds. He defeated silver medalist of Tseng ChiuChin ( 3: 55.28) and bronze medalist Lai Meng- Xi ( 3: 56.71), both from Taiwan.

Steeplechase champion Christopher Ulboc Jr. settled for sixth place with a time of 4: 01.45.

Former Asian Championship gold medalist Marestella Torres nailed the second gold by topping the women’s long jump. Torres submitted her winning mark of 6.53 meters on her third attempt to beat Taiwan’s Wan Ju Wen (6.07m) and Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Truc Mai (6.06m).

Fellow national mainstays Edgardo Alejan Jr. (men’s 400m run, 47.00 seconds) and national record holder Ernest John Obiena (men’s pole vault, 5.25m) contributed one silver each while Rosie Villarito (women’s javelin throw, 46.47m) claimed the lone bronze.

Not as lucky were sixth placer Riezel Buenaventura (women’s pole vault, 3.70m), eight placer Janry Ubas (men’s high jump, 2.00m), sixth placer Arniel Ferrera (men’s hammer throw, 58.87m), sixth placer Julian Reem Fuentes (men’s long jump, 7.28m) and eighth placer Henry Dagmil (men’s long jump, 7.15m).

The two- day meet was part of the team’s preparation for the 2015 Southeast Asian Games in Singapore as it aimed to surpass its six- gold medal haul in the 2013 Myanmar Games.