The 68th UAAP Track & Field competition was a good one for the Blue Tracksters. From last year’s fifth place finish, the men’s team had climbed up one place higher to fourth, matching the highest ever finish of two previous track teams (1987 and 2002). The men’s team was short by 5.5 pts from a podium finish in the overall rankings. The women’s team, in addition, placed fifth despite fielding having a lineup filled by rookies. This time around, there were no superman masteral recruits such as RP Hammer Throw national record holder and SEA Games Gold Medallist Arneil Ferrera (3 Golds, 3 UAAP records, 2005), SEA Games 2005 veteran Alley Quisay (2002) and national team mainstays Roland Canta (2002) and Rommel Ragudo (2005). The men’s and women’s team were composed entirely of homegrown talents.
One highlight of this year’s UAAP competition was the increase in the number of medals that the team had won. In contrast to the trend of the past years, wherein the major concentration of medals was won only by a handful of athletes, the medal and points tally for this season was indeed a team effort.

Ryan Dalman (3 Gold Medals: Shot Put, Hammer Throw, Discus Throw; New UAAP record in the Shot Put)
John Gregorio, Silver, Javelin Throw
Bryan Sutingco, Silver 100m Dash
Joboy Quintos, Silver 110m High Hurdles
Mark Durante, Silver, Shot Put
Men’s 4x100m Relay Team (James, Gregorio, Bryan Sutingco, Joboy Quintos and Chris Gothong), Silver
Nina Buenaflor, Silver, 100m Hurdles
Steph Javellana, Silver, Pole Vault

In addition, the likes of Armand Sazon, Ian Marchadesch, Emilio Lim, Alvin Reyes and Noel Torres pitched in valuable points by qualifying for the top 8 of their respective events.

From an athlete’s point of view, there were several dramatic summits in the recently concluded UAAP. The Women’s 4x100m relay was a bittersweet event to watch since the quartet of Nina Buenaflor, Karla Lim, Steph Javellana and Mika Santos missed out the bronze by a hair’s breadth: 0.03s. As if acting in revenge of their teammates who had narrowly missed a podium finish, the men’s team of the same event, managed to edge out a dangerous UST Fab Four in the homestretch to finish second behind powerhouse FEU. Despite a disadvantage in terms of aggregate speed, the superior baton passing of the Ateneans proved to be the determining factor.

The greatest highlight of them all was Ryan Dalman’s stunning victory in the Shot Put. In his 5th throw, the fourth year Biology major broke Arneil Ferrera’s UAAP record by .06m to 13.56. Dalman, sporting injured team captain Rob Sargan’s name on his shirt, pointed to the small piece of tape in celebration of this mean feat. Everyone was satisfied except for Dalman. In his last throw, he heaved the shot in a powerful burst of anaerobic energy to a distance of 13.92m, breaking the UAAP record he had just set minutes ago. Every Atenean in the decades old Rizal Memorial Stadium went wild in celebration. Sargan, a sure cinch for the gold in the Decathlon and the Pole Vault, who only days ago suffered a freak pole vaulting accident was moved to tears.

For the Ateneo Track & Field Team, each victory was met with sheer euphoria from the stands. Who among us ever believed that the men’s team would get so close to a third place trophy with Sargan’s injury. Everyone stepped up and met the challenge head on.

With an almost intact lineup next year and a much higher confidence level, a second place finish is not a far off possibility.

Thanks for the news on our track team, 49 Congratulations, Blue Tracksters!

Congrats to the Track Team and to Director Mick Perez!

Is it true that we are champions again in the Juniors Division?

no, we finished second once again behind UST.

nope. 2nd lang.

The last time we won a juniors championship was in December of 2002. Before UAAP 1999, the winning streak for first place crowns was a spectacular 20+ (i'm not sure of the exact figure). The very next year, the junior tracksters reclaimed the 1st place trophy.

One primary reason for this is the rising standard of competition among the junior ranks. With all due respect to the boys' team, they simply lack the manpower to go head-to-head against their counterparts from UST. In terms of ability, this year's team has a formidable complement of sprinters, jumpers and thowers that can compare (or is even better) than the track & field teams of previous years. Their lack of long- and middle-distance specialists spelled disaster for the team.

2nd place isnt so bad. If the men's team won second place this season, I'd be ecstatic. hahaha.

Are there any Ateneans on the RP Track and Field Team? Ryan Dalman seems to be a sure shoo-in with his record breaking performance.

For the record, none of our tracksters are part of the National Team. In the case of former national record holder Mika Santos, she was included into the Pole Vault roster in the last SEA Games because she was undisputed in the local pole vault ranks. She's not part of the core of the national team but she can still avail of the national training facilities for free.

100m Dash Silver Medallist Bryan Sutingco is another exception since he was fielded to several junior meets under the national team sprints coach last year.

3 gold medals in the UAAP doesn't necessarily mean an automatic slot in the National Team. It all boils down to the quality of performance. I don't know the actual figures for each of Ryan Dalman's events but I do know for a fact that it's still quite far off from the Southeast Asian level of play - but more than enough to reign supreme in the UAAP ranks.

Feel free to ask about our sport! Hehe.

congratulations to our track team! great job!

Am I missing something here? If Mika Santos is that good in pole vault on a national level, why didn't she win any medals for us in that event in the UAAP? Did she just participate in the relay? What were her other events?

true.blue, in both the throwing and jumping events, including the pole vault, an athlete's jump/throw/vault can be deemed as illegal if he/she violates the cardinal rules for n event. In the shot put and discus throw, the athlete cannot go beyond the throwing circle or else a foul is committed. In the jumps, similarly, one cannot go beyond a specific spot in the take-off board. In the pole vault, when an athlete fails to clear bar, he/she commits a foul as well.

There are times in the field athlete's career wherein the conditions weren't just right. In Santos' case, she made two bad attempts at the relatively low starting height of 2.85m but cleared it in her third and last attempt for that height - only for the bar to be knocked down by the pole she used to vault.

Even elite athletes fail to clear a single height (or make a legal throw or jump) at several points in their respective stints. If Mika' pole didn't knock the bar down, a height of at least 3.30m would have been achievable.

=)

Sayang. I think the same thing happened to her in the SEA games right? What year in college is she in? I hope she will have more opportunities in the future.

She matched her PB (personal best) of 3.20m in the SEA Games in her third and last attempt for the height. She's a junior btw.

Congratulations to our Tracksters!

I'm so proud to have been part of this team for four years. I give my regards to Coach Mick and to the rest of the team. Sorry wasn't able to watch the games, I was out of town that week.

Anyway, Goodluck next season! Talunin niyo yung mga halimanoids na yan.


+AMDG