COMPARED to last year’s 159-point barometer, the UST Male Tracksters who last won the title way back Season 65 almost scored an upset but fell short to snatch the crown by a slim six-point deficit in the UAAP Season 71 Track and Field championships last Feb. 5 to 8 at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
The España-based tracksters’ second best 211 points failed to unseat “four-peat” champions Far Eastern University (217 points) but was enough to edge out eventual third-placer Ateneo de Manila University which collected 191 markers.
Season 71 Most Valuable Player (MVP) Ben Alejandrino spearheaded UST’s charge with a triple-gold act in the 5000-meter run (15:47. 58), 800-meter run (1:57.04) and 1500-meter run (3:59.98). Alejandrino also garnered a silver in the 10000-meter run (33:26.48).
Season 71 Rookie of the Year (ROY) Ernie Sabiduria got his early share of the spotlight, reaping a double-silver medal harvest in javelin throw (49.61 meters) and discus throw (36.12 meters).
Male Trackster Junrey Bano registered a new record in the 400-meter hurdles, crossing the line in 53 seconds flat. He also seized a gold in the 400-meter run (48.55) and a silver in the 200-meter run (22.31).
The long, high and triple jump events were again dominated by Unigames double-gold medalist Benigno Marayag who posted 7.25, 1.85, and 14.72 meters, respectively. Marayag ruled the long jump hostilities with a new meet record.
UST’s Edgar Bardel captured a pair of bronze medals in the 5000-meter walk (24:29.18) and 10000-meter walk (51:39.45).
In the 100-meter hurdles, Robin Tuliao ranked second with a time of 15.29 seconds while Jordan Billones and Emmanuel Delos Angeles pocketed a bronze each in 800-meter run (1:58.13) and long jump (6.39), respectively.
In 4×400-meter relay, the UST quartet of Mark Madera, Billones, Alejandrino and Bano finished second with a 3:23.73 clocking.
Bridesmaids anew
The Lady Tracksters reprised their off-season achievements with another bridesmaid finish behind “six-peat” champion FEU which garnered a title-clinching 284-point total.
UST collected 238 points to overtake University of the East (118 points).
Two-time MVP Bernardita Mag-aso copped three golds in the 800-meter (2:16.10), 1500-meter (4:41.02) and 5000-meter runs where she broke the record in 18:44.5 seconds. Mag-aso also pocketed a silver and a bronze in the 400-meter run (59.47) and 10000-meter run (39:16.24).
Season 71 ROY Jean Palencia topped the 3000-meter steeplechase, clocking 11:28.54 to essay a new meet record. Palencia also notched three silvers in the 10000-meter run (39:11.01), 1500-meter run (4:47.30) and 5000-meter run (18:46.2).
Season 70 ROY Luville Dato-on also made her presence felt, dominating the long and triple jump events with 5.42 and 11.67 meters respectively.
In the 400-meter run, Keizel Pedrina clocked 59 seconds to lead the race. Pedrina also finished second in the 200-meter run (26.08).
UST’s Adjennie Delos Santos harvested a pair of silvers in the 5000-meter walk (28:54.31) and 3000-meter walk (16:17.61) while Lady Tracksters Frejielyn Roncales, and Ma. Dela Paz Banebane bagged second-place honors in the 3000-meter steeplechase (11:41.73) and 400-meter hurdles (1:05.6), respectively. Meriam Colangoy wielded a bronze in the 100-meter run (12.70) to complete the Female Tracksters’ medal haul in the individual events.
In the team events, the black-and-gold quartet of Banebane, Colangoy, Dato-on and Pedrina logged the fastest time of 48.88 seconds in the 4×100-meter relay. UST added one more gold in the team affair as Dato-on, Banebane, Mag-aso, and Pedrina topped the 4×400-meter relay in 4:00.14.
Last year, UST reaped a pair of runner-up finishes in the athletics competition of the University Games and the 23rd Colgate-Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association weekly relay finals.
