Future stars show stuff in RP Open

Make way for the future of Philippine athletics.

Teenage phenoms Christopher Ulboc Jr. of Far Eastern U, Isidro del Prado Jr. of St. Benilde and Jami Dawn Henares of Bacolod City came through with sterling performances that made heads turn at the close of the National Track and Field Championships at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

Ulboc, a 17-year-old prize find from Tangub City, Misamis Occidental, ruled the 10,000-meter and the 1,500m to become the most bemedalled bet with a four-gold harvest in this event backed by Terry Capistrano’s TMS Ship Agencies and the Philippine Sports Commission.

He clocked 33 minutes, 29.6 seconds in the 10,000m to outclass a field that included Art Thomas Fronda of University of the Philippines Integrated School and Berny Corpuz of Centrex. He  submitted a time of 4:11.43 in ruling the 1,500m.

“He (Ulboc) might be considered in the RP juniors team set to compete in the Asian Juniors Championships this July in India after our officials saw him run,” said FEU coach Jojo Posadas of Ulboc who also copped the 5,000m in Day One and the 3,000m steeplechase in Day Two.

Another FEU coach Rosito Andaya, who has produced the likes of Ernesto Mendoza, Herman Suizo and Hector Begeo, said Ulboc could be the future of RP long-distance running.

Son of former 80s track star Isidro del Prado, the younger Del Prado, 17, was untouchable in the 400m where he clocked 49.51, besting Zamboanga’s Radjeev Tahil (50.30) and FEU’s Romulo Mostoles (50.72).

Del Prado, who was recruited by St. Benilde after a splendid four-gold showing in the Palarong Pambansa in Palawan, was satisfied with his performance.

“It’s satisfying to win the gold right in my first national open,” said Del Prado.

Del Prado’s effort duplicated the efforts of another second-generation track star Jose Renato Unso of De La Salle.

Unso, a 17-year-old sports management freshman at La Salle, earlier topped the 110m hurdles before the watchful eyes of his father Renato Unso, who reigned in the hurdles event in the 1983 Singapore SEA Games.

The 16-year-old Henares, who starred in the Visayas leg of the POC Olympic Festival last year, was equally impressive in winning the century dash gold in 1:01.03.

The Destiny Christian School student in Bacolod, who has a Ukraine-born Canadian mother and a Filipino father, finished ahead of International Elite’s Tahlie Cablayan (1:01.90) and Zamboanga’s Rubelyn Alvador (1:03.02).

After an uneventful first two days, Go Teng Kok’s Army finally made their presence with Julius Sermona, Julius Nierras and Arnel Ferrera hacking out emphatic wins.

Sermona reigned supreme in 10,000m in 31.39, Nierras in 400m in 48.24 and Ferrera in discus throw in 44.47m.

Other final day winner were TMS’ Luville Dato-on (triple jump) and Keizal Pedrina (400m), FEU’s Florida Gonzales (10,000m walk), Centrex’s Vanessa Membrado (10,000m walk), Cebu’s Irin Baluran (triple jump) and Al Vincent Maxilom (discus throw), University of

Baguio’s Hannah Erika Sia (shot put), Western Institute of Technology’s Sharmi Bucaling (shot put) and Manuel Lasangue (high jump) and St. Benilde’s Benjie Suan (triple jump).

Korean Dae Young Ko was the only foreign bet to win a gold, ruling the triple jump in 16.25m.

Ateneo de Manila’s Ituno Kuku won the men’s high jump in 1.85m despite competing only with one shoe.