FEU, NU runners in toe-to-toe race

MANILA, Philippines — Collegiate athletes getting ready for future competitions, most especially in the UAAP and NCAA, continued to strut their stuff during last Sunday’s Week 7 of the PATAFA Weekly Relay Series at the PhilSports Track Oval backed by the Philippine sports commission and CEL Logistics, Inc.

The day’s events went without a hitch and much fanfare until the Men’s 4x400m relay.

The crowd of student athletes got on their feet during the final leg where two collegiate track stars went toe-to-toe and stride-for-stride in a thrilling finish. Tochukwu Onoura Okolo of Far Eastern U and John Lloyd Cabalo of National U figured in a mad dash to the wire for the ages resulting in a finish too close to call. The race was decided via photo with FEU nipping NU by the slimmest of margins (0.01 seconds).

Adamson coach for Throwing Sports Danilo Fresnido summed it all up by saying that student athletes have been waiting for so long to have the chance to go to the track and the field once again to show what they’ve got due to the two-year break caused by the pandemic.

“Isa talaga sa magandang pamantayan itong weekly series para makita din kung nasaan ang mga atleta natin sa kanilang performance at bilang paghahanda na din sa mga darating na competition,” said Fresnido.

Patafa president Terry Capistrano said: “What we have just witnessed is a mere preview of what is to come in the weeks to follow which will culminate in the finals of the Patafa Weekly Relay Series in mid-November.”