CAPAS, Tarlac—Fil-American Miguel Rosario III did not regret a last-minute decision to come to the Philippines and compete for the first time.
On a rainy and wet Thursday evening, the 20-year-old Rosario, a student athlete in the US, surpassed the Philippine record in the men’s open 200-meter run to grab the gold medal at the ICTSI Philippine Athletics Championships at the New Clark City Athletic Stadium here.
Rosario made heads turn with his clocking of 20.82 seconds, just minutes after Olympic sprinter Kristina Knott slipped, fell and tumbled in the water-soaked finish line turf, but still won the women’s side.
Later, Robyn Brown outplayed injured Paris Olympian Lauren Hoffman in ruling the women’s 400-meter hurdles, while Fil-Am Yacine Guermali retained the men’s 5,000-meter run with a better time than Philippine Army’s Sonny Wagdos.
Rosario’s clocking went below the existing national record by Trenten Berram of 20.84 seconds set in the 2017 Southeast Asian Games.
But his feat won’t be ratified as a Philippine mark since Rosario does not carry a Philippine passport yet.
“It’s truly a blessing. It’s something I envisioned myself to do, said the 5’11” Rosario, who just transferred to Grand Canyon University from Seattle University and competes in US NCAA Division I meets.
This is not the first that he has gone below the national mark, as Rosario did it twice last April — a 57.57-second effort at a San Diego meet and a 58.11 feat at the Mt. SAC Relays.
Neil Catral of Pinoy Athletics was second in 20.92 seconds, with Thai bet Sarawut Nuwansi in third (21.15).
Knott ended up with bruises all over her body after stumbling badly after running at full speed during a light evening drizzle in the last two meters for a 24.12-second finish.
“I’m feeling jet lagged. My legs had a hard time listening to me,” said a banged-up Knott, who is back under the care of strength and conditioning coach Carlo Buzichelli, while a medic treated her for bruises on her right elbow, legs and waist.
Jessica Laurance of Pinoy Athletics (24.25) and Papua New Guinea’s Patricia Kuku (25.84) came in second and third, respectively, to Knott.
With the cool weather favoring her, Brown broke free in the final stretches to beat Hoffman, clocking 57.39 seconds, slightly faster than the 57.57 seconds which she achieved in the Mt. SAC relays last April.
Hoffman, who is still recovering from an left achilles heel injury and is getting married on Saturday, settled for runner-up honors in 1:00.20, while Thai Anisa Wenuwamarak took third (1:00.42), and her performance
“It feels good and she (Hoffman) is a strong competitor and we’ve already seen that,” said Brown, who herself got married last November,
Army’s Joida Gagnao topped the women’s side of the 5000-meter run in 17:53.00, while Line Hisage took the women’s shot put gold in 13.11 meters, and Lance Nicolas claimed the men’s under 18 pole vault gold.
Mapua’s Neyo Sarabia topped the men’s under 18 pole vault after clearing 15.18 meters.
