World record athletics championship

The World Athletics Championship opened last August 19 in Budapest, Hungary with over 200 athletes from 202 countries, participating in 49 events. Alvaro Martin of Spain took the first gold medal after winning the men’s 20K walk in 1:17:32. Perseus Karlstorm of Sweden was second in 1:17:39 while Brazil’s Caio Bonfin settled for third in 1:17:47. In shot put, American Ryan Crouser annexed the gold with a throw of 23.51m while Italian Leonardo Fabrri pocketed second place in 22:34m, with another American Joe Kovacs winning the bronze. In the women’s 10,000m run, Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia led a podium sweep for the country, blazing to a 31:27:18 while teammates Letensenbet Gidey and Ejgayehu Taye wound up second and third in 31:28:16 and 31:28:31, respectively. Kenyan Irine Kimais came in fourth in 31:32:19 while American Alicia Monson was fifth. But the most dramatic scenario was the triumph of the United States in the 4x400 mixed relay that resulted in a world record. The US team composed of Justin Robinson, Rosey Effiong, Matthew Boling and Alexis Holmes came home in 3:08:08 to set a new world record. The Netherlands was the favorite to win but a bizarre twist happened when probably one of the country’s biggest athletics star,  Femke Bol, slipped while approaching the  finish line with the Dutch team ahead. Holmes took the opportunity and sprinted to the title. The Netherlands would have brought home the gold medal but Bol crashed to the track, hitting her head and dropping the baton with just five meters to the finish line. Britain was second in 3:11:06 while the Czech Republic wound up third in 3:11:98. What an irony.

La Salle wins Shakey’s volleyball

Despite losing Game 1 in the Shakey’s Super League, the multi-titled La Sale Lady Spikers didn’t push the panic button but instead won their last two games against the Adamson Lady Falcons to win the crown. Nobody expected La Salle to be in the Finals with a depleted line-up and missing star players UAAP Rookie MVP Angel Canino and Justine Jazareno. The Spikers also missed captain Jolina Dela Cruz, Mars Alba and Fifi Sharma who all graduated this year. But La Salle didn’t throw the white flag easily. It found a sparkplug in incoming sophomore Shevana Laput, who fired a tournament high 30 points in Game 1 while scoring 18 and 13 in the last two games.  Laput, sister of Magnolia’s James Laput in the PBA, was named Invitational MVP with a brilliant performance in the tournament that attracted 12 teams. Laput also grabbed the Best Opposite Spiker Award. Providing strong support to the team were Thea Gagate (1st middle blocker), Amie Provido (2nd best middle blocker)and Alleiah Malaluan (2nd best outside hitter).  The 6’2” Laput is expected to make waves with the Spikers in this year’s UAAP season. Animo La Salle!

Archery in Cebu

Congratulations to the organizers and winners of the 1st ASEAN Youth Open Archery Championship held at the Dynamic Herb Sports Complex in Cebu City. Close to 300 archers from Chinese Taipei, Indonesia, India, UAE, Singapore and host Philippines competed. The Philippines was led by Palarong Pambansa six-gold medal winner Naina Dominquez Tagle of Dumaguete City.

NOTES: It was good to see an old friend and fellow sportsman Nino Sinco after 35 years. Nino was in Cebu City for the Youth Archery Championship and is currently an archery coach.