Lerma rules long jump in Thailand

Lerma Bulauitan-Gabito added another feather to her cap by ruling the women’s long jump in Thai Open Athletics Championships at the Thammasat University track and field stadium in Bangkok.

It was the Filipino’s fourth gold medal win even as Eduardo Buenavista, at presstime, was seeking to add the 5,000-m title to make it five for the lean but mean RP contingent at the conclusion of the four-day tournament.

Merceditas Manipol, who snared a silver in the women’s 10,000-m Wednesday, was also set to compete in the 5,000-m later in the day together with the quartet of Ernie Candelario, Jimar Aing, Ronnie Marfil and Rodrigo Tanuan in the 4x400-m relay.

Bulauitan, also the 2003 SEA Games champion, could only record a 6.27 jump but it was enough to beat the challenge of Taipei’s Kuo Hui Wang and compatriot Maristella Torres who did 6.20 and 6.18, respectively.