Narcisa Atienza cops shot put gold over Villarito

ILAGAN, Isabela, Philippines — Narcisa Atienza got back at Army teammate Rosie Villarito as she took the women’s shot put gold in the Ayala Philippine Athletics Championships at the Ilagan Sports Complex here yesterday.

Atienza, 38, heaved 13.10m to beat Villarito, who edge her for the javelin mint Saturday, to collect her very first gold in the meet presented by Ayala Corp., City of Ilagan, Milo Nutri-up, Soleus, Soleus watches, Foton, Cherrylume and UCPB.

Villarito failed to sweep the throwing events with a 11.68m effort.

“I felt confident because I knew I won in this event in the PNG (Phl National Games),” said Atienza, a former national team mainstay who is now national team coach.

Asian Games-bound Marco Vilog of Run Rio-UP topped the men’s 800m in 1:51.98, beating San Beda’s Mariano Masano (1:52.24) and Phl team-City of Ilagan’s Elbren Neri (1:54.86).

After clinching victory, the 26-year-old Vilog, as his usual practice, took out his white towel with the Nazarene’s face on it, laid it on the rubberized track, knelt and wept.

“I’m thankful to God for giving me a chance to win it again though I thought I will have a hard time coming back because of my kidney problems,” said Vilog, who booked a spot in this year’s Asian Games in Indonesia this August following a silver medal finish in the 800m run in last year’s Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur.

Marisol Amarga, meanwhile, copped the girl’s 800m gold in 2:14.96, turning back 1500m winner Tara Borlain of Phl team-City of Ilagan, who timed 2:16.96 for silver.

Dasmariñas City’s Edwin Giron Jr. won the boys’ 800m in 1:52.70 while San Beda’s Anthony Bacle Jr. and Run Rio-UP’s Ferdinand Tridanio took the silver and bronze with 1:56.67 and 1:56.74 clockings, respectively.

On Sunday night, Richard Salano of Army topped the men’s 5000m run to complete a long-distance treble.

Salano, 26, clocked 15 minutes and 22.94 seconds to claim his third gold following his victories in the 3000m steeplechase and 10,000m.

Salano bested Mapua’s Rowel Galvero and Baguio City’s Erwin Bong Generalao, who timed 15:38.68 and 15:56.62, respectively.

“I want to show that Army does not excel only in war but also in sports,” said Salano.

Baguio City’s Mary Grace Zamudio pocketed the bronze in 2:17.75.

In men’s high jump, Sabah, Malaysia’s Mohd Eizlan Dahlan snared the gold in 2.10m at the expense of Adamson’s Albert Callejo (1.90m) and Mapua’s Jay-R Tungcul (1.80m).