Toledo, Hallasgo bag gold medals in Philsports with plenty to spare

ARIS TOLEDO remained the “Man of Steel” of Philippine athletics with his

powerful performance in decathlon and Christine Hallasgo gifted herself a gold medal on Mothers’ Day with a runaway finish in the women’s 10,000 meters in the International Container Terminal Services Inc. Philippine Athletics Championships over the weekend.

Toledo’s no back-to-back (201719) gold Southeast Asian Games gold medalist for nothing in athletics’ most grueling men’s event that involves four track and six field events and played inside two days, finishing first in seven of them—400 and 110 meters hurdles, shotput, high jump, discus throw, javelin throw and pole vault—and wound up No. 2 in the 100 and No. 3 in the long jump and 1,500 meters.

ose strong finishes at the Philsports in Pasig City earned Toledo 6,348 points, way ahead of silver medalist and 100 and long jump topnotcher Allen Roy Mationg (5809) of Pasig City and Ronel Juntilla (5,247) of Pinoy Athletics.

“I didn’t expect to win because my training wasn’t enough due to certain obligations that I need to settle,” said Toledo, 31, and a Seaman Second Class at the Philippine Navy. “But I have to compete hard because I am the national record holder.”

Toledo’s national record stands at 7,469 points which he registered in claiming silver at the Hanoi 2022 SEA Games.

He’s hoping to breach decathlon’s qualifying standard of 8,460 points for the Paris Olympics in the Thailand Open set June 14 to 18 in Bangkok.

Hallasgo, marathon queen of the Philippines 2019 SEA Games, made her native Malaybalay City proud again—and so as her seven-year-old daughter Chrisxiah Mae—after she cruised past 15 opponents to win the women’s 10-km race a tad over 37 minutes.

e race was reduced to a battle for the silver medal that was almost decided by a photo finish with Edna Magtubo (39:46.72) of Spectrum Runners prevailing by mere .09 of a second over April Joy Alampayan of Bohol Province.

Philippine Army’s Richard Salaño won the men’s 10,000 meters in 31:26.82 with James Darrel Orduna (31:38.21) of University of the East and Ricky Organiza (31:42. 21) of Spectrum Runners completing the podium.