Obiena breaks pole vault mark

SAN JOSE, Antique, Philippines  – Pole vaulter Francis Obiena of NCR  produced a record feat while Veruel Verdadero of Calabarzon completed a sprint treble on the penultimate day even as the Big City bets all but extended their domination of the Palarong Pambansa at the Binirayan Sports Complex here yesterday.

Out to break the 4.06-meter mark he set in Legazpi, Albay last year, Obiena, 17, did just that, posting a 4.30m vault to clinch the secondary boys’ gold for the second straight year.

Over at the pool, NCR’s Maurice Sacho Illustre ruled the secondary boys 200m freestyle in record-setting two minutes, 10.29 seconds then teamed up with Patrick Galvez, Keane Ting and Ianiko Limfilipino to win the 4x50m free relay and emerge the most bemedalled athlete with seven golds.

NCR’s Nicole Meah Pamintuan and Bela Louise Magtibay and Cagayan Valley’s Jalil Sephraim Tauinod likewise shattered the records in racking up the golds in secondary girls 200m free and 100m breaststroke and elementary boys 100m breast, respectively. 

Obiena, the lone gold medal winner in the recent Southeast Asian Youth Championship in Isabela, went for 4.40m but failed in all his three attempts.

“I was trying to stretch my record but I wasn’t able to do it,” said Obiena, whose father and coach Eduard, uncle Emerson and cousin EJ were also pole vaulters.

“But I’m okay with this record and I think it will take a long time before anyone could break it,” he added.

Obiena said his next goal is to make the 5.00-m standard to gain a berth in the national pool.

“That’s my goal and I will work harder to achieve that,” he added.

Cagayan Valley’s Mark del Rosario and Central Luzon’s John Paul Parulan managed just 3.70m and 3.30m for silver and bronze, respectively.

Verdadero, on the other hand, ruled the 200m dash in 21.90 seconds, just a tenth of a second short of 21.8 record by NCR’s Jomar Udtohan in Sta. Cruz, Laguna three years ago, to complete the sprints’ golden treble.

The Grade Nine Immaculate Conception-Cavite student, who earlier topped the century dash and the 400m run, then teamed up with Joviane Calixto, Jan Vincent Alejandro and Mark Roldan Elises to capture the 4x400m relay gold in 3:22.64 and become track and field’s most be-medalled athlete with five golds.

Verdadero was also part of the 4x100m relay team composed of Karl Aquino, Ryan Flores and Joviane Calixto that ripped the year-old mark of 43.06 by the Western Visayas quartet of Alarba, Alejandro, Decenilla and Piodina with a 42.89 clocking in the time trials.

The same foursome then bettered the mark yesterday with a 42.48-second clocking to cap Verdadero’s stirring feat.

With a day to go, NCR has amassed 50-29-21 (gold-silver-bronze) medals in the secondary level and a 30-15-15 haul in elementary division to all but secure a 13th straight general championship.

Meanwhile, host Antique Gov. Rhodora Cadio announced that Sen. Franklin Drilon, a native of Iloilo, will be the guest of honor in today’s closing rites.

In basketball, host Western Visayas trampled last year’s winner Calabarzon, represented by San Beda, 79-61, to advance to the finals versus the winner of the other semis duel pitting NCR and Central Visayas.

Atoning for a disappointing bronze medal finish in the secondary girls century dash, Central Visayas’ Samantha Gem Limos poured it all out in the 200m, winning it in 25.40 ahead of Calabarzon’s Jessel Lumapas (25.57) and Negros’ Angel Ann Pranisa (25.79).

Eastern Visayas’ Bianca Jane Combate failed to make it a sprint double after she was disqualified for stepping out of her lane.