LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, Philippines – There’s a new athletics superstar here in the person of Bolinao lass Lany Cardona, who led her team to the overall championship in the Junior Division of the National Open Athletics Championships held last May 10 to 12 at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center here.
Cardona’s team, the Centrex-Virgen Milagrosa University Foundation (C-VMUF), snatched a total of five medals – golds in the 800 meters, 5,000 meters, 3,000 meters, 10, 000 meters; and silver in the 1500 meters.
The C-VMUF was the only Pangasinan team in the national open track and field competition in which athletes from various countries participated.
Cardona’s team racked up a total of 181 points against their closest rivals, the Far Eastern University with 105 total points and University of Baguio with 91 points.
The provincial government of Pangasinan led by Gov. Amado Espino Jr. and the city government of Dagupan led by Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr., also chairman of the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association, co-hosted the three-day national open sportsfest, one of the pre-qualifying events for the forthcoming Southeast Asean Games in Laos.
Espino and Fernandez, who congratulated the Pangasinan athletes, vowed to help the Philippine Sports Commission develop local athletes for international competitions.
Other Pangasinan athletes who brought home medals were: Blessie Mae Sanchez, gold in the 400 meters girls division; Maricris Carolino, silver in the 400 meters girls division; Junelle Gallebo, gold in the 400 meters boys division; Jonathan Leyga, bronze in the 400 meters boys division; Rochille Corpuz, silver in the triple jump women division; Debby Catabay, bronze in the triple jump girls division; and Sarah Jane Pascua, bronze in the shotput girls division.
The 10,000-meter walk was likewise dominated by Centrex-VMUF athletes Vanesa Membrado for the girls division and Mark Anthony Niro for the boys division, with times of 1:03:54.3.25 and 59:27.4.31, respectively.
The Pangasinan team reaped a total of 8 golds, 4 silvers and 3 bronzes in the three-day competition.
Far Eastern University captured the championship title in the senior’s division with 181 points followed by the University of Baguio with 102 points and the Philippine Army in third slot with 81 points.