NAGA CITY – The unlikely team-up of the UST Tracksters and the University of the East powered NCR to the top of the Prisaa athletics competition as the Big City bets copped 20 golds, 13 silvers and 22 bronzes last April 19-25 at the Metro Naga Sports Complex here.
“Our partnership with UE worked out quite well. This year’s Prisaa result turned out much better than last year,” UAAP Season 71 Most Valuable Player Ben Alejandrino told the Varsitarian.
From their own end, the España-based Tracksters bagged 18 golds, seven silvers and nine bronzes to shoulder the bulk of NCR’s medal haul. Alejandrino, who contributed three golds for NCR with victories in the 3000-meter steeplechase (9:48.2), 1500-meter run (4:02.2), and 800-meter run (1:58.5), also broke the record in the 4 x 800-meter relay alongside Jordan Paul Billones, Joma Boncales and UE’s Wenlie Maulan.
Fashioning double-gold performances for NCR were Thomasians Junrey Bano and Benigno Marayag. Bano aced the 400-meter hurdles in 54.7 seconds and rewrote the standard in the 400-meter run via a 48.8 clocking. Marayag on the other hand ruled the long and triple jump events with 7.12-meter 14.92-meter efforts, respectively.
Male Trackster Mark Salinas clinched the gold in the 5000-meter walk with a record-breaking 27.08.6 time.
Other Thomasian gold medalists were Robin Darwin Tulibo in the 110-meter hurdles (14.7) and Roger Denolo in the 10,000-meter run (35:17.0).
Bano also took the silver in the 200-meter dash in 22.3 seconds.
UAAP Season 71 Rookie of the Year Ernie Sabiduria grabbed the bronze in discuss throw with a 33.95-meter hurl. Mark David Madera, Jr., Emmanuel de los Angeles, Denolo and Billones copped identical third-place finishes in the 400-meter hurdles (55.1), 110-meter hurdles (15.6), 3000-meter steeplechase (10:09.1) and 800-meter run (2:01.6), respectively.
Bano, Billones, Bongcales and Maulas later snared the gold in the 4×400-meter relay, clocking in 3:22.6. NCR also won a silver in the 4x100x200x300x400-meter relay (2:01.1) and a bronze in the 4×100-meter relay (3:43.62).
On the distaff side, the Lady Tracksters were not as impressive as their male counterparts, wounding up third in the overall medal race with only two golds, six silvers and 13 bronzes to show.
Lady Tracksters Ira Marie Hernandez and Jelyn Rojas accounted for NCR’s two golds with victories in discuss throw (29.70) and javelin throw (37.97), respectively.
Giving NCR its share of silver medals were Kiezel Pedrina, who placed second in the 400-meter hurdles (1:08.6) and 400-meter run (1:01.7), Liville Dato-on in the 100-meter dash (12.9), Adjennie Rose delos Santos in the 5000-meter walk (29:32.1), Jean Palencia in the 1500-meter run (5:01.8) and Rojas in shot put (9:38 meters).
Palencia also jogged her way to a bronze in the 3000-meter steeplechase (11.12.7). Posting similar bronze-medal finishes for NCR were Lady Tracksters Aleah Gatmaitan in triple jump (11.35 meters), April Joyce Guillen in long jump (5.24 meters) and Frejielyn Roncales in the 5000-meter run (20:27.17). Mika Rafaela A. Barrios
