UM’S KATE MCDOWELL POCKETS SECOND GOLD

KATE DUFFY McDowell of the University of Mindanao (UM)-Davao City clinched her second consecutive gold medal at The International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) Philippine Athletics Championships 2024 at the Philsports track and field stadium in Pasig City on Saturday, May 11.

McDowell clocked in 11 minutes and 52.57 seconds (11:52:57) to rule the women’s under-20 3,000-meter run, outpacing Shieky Supremo of the University of Baguio, who finished in 11:52.60 to settle for the silver medal.

“Gold na pud ko, Ma’am (I won gold again, Ma’am),” she told SunStar Davao on Saturday morning.

The 19-year-old Criminology freshman student secured her first gold (women’s U20 3,000m steeplechase) in the national open on Thursday evening, May 9.

Harrish Ratag, one of UM’s athletics coaches, noted that McDowell was scheduled to compete in her final event, the 1,500-meter run, as of Sunday’s press time on May 12.

He expressed confidence in McDowell’s potential to achieve a podium finish in the 3,000m event, admitting his surprise at her steeplechase victory.

“Actually nag expect ko nasa top 3 in the 3,000m run ‘coz naka practice kami ug tarong. Ang wala ko nag-expect mag-gold siya sa steeplechase coz 1st time niya nagdula (I actually expected her to place in the top 3 in the 3,000m run because we trained hard for it. What I didn’t expect was for her to win the gold in the steeplechase as it was her first time competing in the event),” Ratag said in a Messenger interview with SunStar Davao on Sunday evening.

He said that McDowell, a silver medalist in the Philippine National Games (PNG) 2023 women’s 1,500m, along with the rest of the UM athletics team members, undergoes road run training every morning from Mondays to Sundays and works out at the UM track oval on Mondays to Saturdays, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Ratag added McDowell still has room for improvement in terms of speed, which they will focus on when they return home from the national trackfest.

Meanwhile, UM-Davao City copped a bronze in the men’s open 4X100m relay with the team consisting of Jullyjan Molinos, Adrean Cabacang, Johnny Gil Meder, and Dharlie Joey Baguisan.

The UM athletics team’s participation is funded by UM, headed by UM president Guillermo “Willie” Torres Jr.