Beram blazes home, edges Cray in 200m

ILAGAN CITY, Isabela, Philippines — Trenten Anthony Beram bested fellow SEA Games gold medalist Eric Shaun Cray in their highly anticipated showdown for the 200m dash gold while veteran Marestella Torres-Sunang cruised to victory in long jump in the Ayala Philippine Athletics Championships at the City of Ilagan Sports Complex here last night.

Representing Phl team/City of Ilagan, Beram, 22, blazed his way to victory in 21.11 seconds, barely grazing the national record of 20.84 he himself set in last year’s SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

“Having Eric (Cray) in the race, it pushes me. I needed to run faster. It’s great,” said Beram, a double-gold medal winner in the KL Games.

Cray took the silver in 21.79 seconds while Joan Caido of University of Baguio copped the bronze in 22.07 seconds.

The Fil-Am bets’ 1-2 finish likewise made up for their failed bid in the 4x100m relay Thursday that saw Cray drop the baton from first runner Anfernee Lopena that cost the squad the gold.

“If we didn’t drop the baton last night (Thursday), I wouldn’t have run faster today (yesterday),” said Beram.

In women’s long jump, Torres-Sunang found little resistance and bagged the gold with a 6.16m leap.

University of Baguio’s Felyn Dolloso and Adamson’s Joanna Ebal finished a distant second and third with 5.39m and 5.30m, respectively.

While Sunang rued the disparity from her personal best jump of 6.67m, she also hit the lack of competition with the veteran campaigner signifying her desire to retire after the Asian Games this August and the SEAG the country will host next year.

“It’s sad to see that there is no one who will succeed me. My wish is that we could find someone who could take over after I retire,” said Sunang

Meanwhile, the 6-2 Joyme Sequita, a 23-year-old Iloilo native representing Mapua, took the silver in the 400m behind Sri Lanka’s Dilip Ruwan, who registered 46.87 seconds, but the former’s time of 47.34 may have booked him a slot in the national pool, which has previously set a 48-second barrier.

In the men’s 1500m, Phl team standout Mervin Guarte settled for a bronze in 3:58.43 with Sri Lanka’s Hermantha Kumara (3:57.55) and Army’s Aris Africa (3:58.31) taking the gold and silver, respectively.

Army’s Aileen Tolentino took the women’s 1500m mint while Tara Borlain copped the gold in the same event in the girls’ section.

Richard Salano, another Army bet, claimed his second gold by winning the men’s 10000m in 32.30.67 ahead of Baguio City’s Erwin Bong Generalao (33:48.48) and Cesar Castenato (34:32.05).