Obiena rips vault mark; Garcia tops chess

MANILA, Philippines - Pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena joined the record-bashing spree in the PSC-POC Philippine National Games, shattering the national juniors mark at the close of the event at the Philsports Arena in Pasig yesterday.

Obiena, son of two-time Southeast Asian Games pole vault bronze medalist Emerson, vaulted to 4.54 meters to reset the old mark of 4.50-m he himself posted in last year’s UAAP athletics meet.

Egged on by his dad and reigning men’s elite pole vault gold medalist Fil-Am Caleb Montecalvo, the 18-year-old information technology junior at Ateneo went for 4.65 and nearly made it in the first approach but failed to get his foot over the top pole.

“I’m happy to win because my goal is to really make the national team going to Myanmar for the SEA Games,” said the younger Obiena, who bested high jump gold medal winner Janry Ubas of Far Eastern U and Run for Change’s Jodrel Mandawe, who wound up with the silver and bronze, respectively.

Interestingly, Obiena’s mark was way better than his father’s, who did a 4.20m for the silver in the men’s elite the day before.

Montecalvo, who hails from San Diego but competes for a US NCAA second division school in California, took the gold in 4.80, a little off the current record of 5.00-m flat Eduard Lasquete registered in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

Fil-Am Eric Cray, who broke his own record in the 110m hurdles, tried to go for a double but couldn’t even get past the heats due to a bum stomach.

Jose Rizal’s Domingo Cabradille took advantage of Cray’s absence as he copped the gold in 52.19, besting teammate Ramil Toledo’s 57.80 while Rizal Technological U’s Jim Tolin took the bronze in 58.02.

Cabradille’s time, however, was way off the national mark of 50.74 Cray posted in last April’s Florida relays.

Eduardo Buenavista, the former long distance running king, helplessly watched himself fall from grace as he was beaten in the 10,000m by fellow Air Force bet Rafael Poliquit, who clocked 32.02.49 to add to the latter’s 5,000-m gold a couple of days back.

Buenavista finished second in 32.02.75 while Eric Panique was third in 32.55.39.

Jessa Mangsat, who smashed the 3,000-m steeplechase Tuesday, won her second gold in the 10,000m where she clocked 39.23.29.

The other gold medal winners were Josie Malacad in the 400m hurdles (1:02.44), Marylyn Avila in junior women’s (1:04.52), Melissa Escoton in junior girls (1:08.37), Raffy Gonzales in junior boys (57.40) and Jaime Mejia in men’s elite (54.45).

Over at the Polytechnic University of the Phl, Jan Emmanual Garcia, who obtained his International Master title in the Asian Continental Chess Championship dubbed Manny Pacquiao Cup last week, took the standard gold in chess while Woman IM Bernadette Galas emerged the winner in the women’s side.

World Cup-bound Mark Paragua, representing Quezon City, finished with the silver while FIDE Master Haridas Pascua took the bronze.

In boxing, national team mainstays Josie Gabuco, Alice Aparri and Maricris Igam bested Jeanvee Flores, Nice Petecio of Davao del Norte and Jungco Verosellen of Negros to secure their place in the SEAG-bound squad.