Ferrera, Manipol best in CHED Nat'l Games

A throwing event specialist and a long distance runner stole the thunder from the biggies of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) after crowning themselves the king and queen of athletics in yesterday's 2000 Commission on Higher Education (CHED) National Games.

Arnel Ferrera of Negros Occidental Provincial School Sports Cultural Education Association (NOPSSCEA) and Mercedita Manipol of the NCR-Private School Athletic Association (NCR-PRISAA) received the most valuable award in their respective divisions after winning three gold medals apiece.

Blotting the UAAP-dominated landscape, the 19-year-old Ferrera capped his three-gold haul with a record-setting heave in his favorite hammer throw event late Friday to add up to his two golden triumphs in the shotput and discus throw events.

Duplicating a triple gold feat in the Milo Invitational Track and Field Championships early this month, the six-foot Ferrera capped his impressive performance by shattering the three-year-old record of 45.61 m by Jerro Perater in Naga City with a throw of 46.65 m to bag the most coveted individual medal in the men's side.

Manipol, a 20-year-old second year education student of the University of the East won gold medals in the women's 1500m, 3000 m and 5000 m runs.

Manipol broke all records in the three events she participated in, the most impressive being in the 1500 m run where she eclipsed the three-year-old record of 5:06.4 by Dely Condes of the NCR with a time of 4:55.8.

Overall, UAAP grabbed 50 golds -- nine more than all the other golds won by the opposition combined -- against 29 silvers and 20 bronzes.

Second was NCR-PRISAA with 10- 10-10.