CAPAS, Tarlac – High jumper Leonard Grospe soared to a record-breaking 2.23 meters on his first attempt, highlighting an action-packed Friday night in the ICTSI Philippine Athletic Championships presented by the Philippine Sports Commission at the New Clark City Athletic Stadium here.
Just over a month after setting a new national and personal best of 2.22 meters during the NCAA Season 101 trackfest on May 5 at the same venue, the lean and lanky Grospe struck again with another record-breaking performance in the meet backed by the ICTSI Foundation as title sponsor.
Feeling ambitious, the 33rd Thailand Southeast Asian Games bronze medalist attempted 2.25 meters but fell short, as coach Sean Guevarra—who previously held the old national mark of 2.17 meters for 19 years before Grospe first broke it in the 2024 edition of the meet with a 2.20-meter jump—looked on proudly.
The night also saw Paris Olympian Lauren Hoffman complete a hurdles double, narrowly winning the 100-meter hurdles in 13.55 seconds. She edged reigning 33rd Southeast Asian Games champion Dina Aulia, who clocked 13.63 seconds, while Army’s Jelly Diane Paragile took third in 14.16 seconds in the competition co-presented by the BCDA and New Clark City.
Two-time SEA Games men’s 110-meter hurdles champion Clinton Kingsley Bautista, a native of nearby Camiling, Tarlac, also reclaimed his title in 14.26 seconds, edging rising teammate Tochukwu Okolo (14.43), while Papua New Guinea’s Robert Oa finished third in 14.51.
(C) PATAFA
Sharing the spotlight was Fil-Am newcomer Gabe Borado, who stunned a strong field that included national athletes Mico del Prado and Frederick Ramirez to win the men’s 400-meter hurdles in 47.05 seconds in the athletic showcase also backed by Pocari Sweat, Clark Water, Energya, and Masiv Sports.
Del Prado, son of former elite 400-meter runner and national coach Isidro del Prado, settled for silver in 47.29 seconds, while Francis Patanpatan of Pinoy Athletics took bronze in 47.79 in the championships also sponsored by CEL Logistics Inc. and UAAGI Auto Group Inc.
Joining the list of golden newcomers early Saturday morning was another Fil-Am, Amanda Javellana, who, like Borado, is backed by FILAM Sports, after ruling the women’s hammer throw with a mark of 51.12 meters.
Javellana, 18, whose parents hail from Bacolod, Negros Occidental, before relocating to the United States, previously represented the Philippines in the 33rd Thailand SEA Games, where she finished fifth in the hammer throw with a 51.97-meter effort.
“Sobrang masaya ako (ma-break ang record) kasi eto po yung standard sa last Asian Jumps,” Grospe said, referring to the winning jump of 2.23 meters by Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim in the meet held last month in Chongqing, China.
“Actually yung target namin this year is 2.25 kasi nakikita namin sa preparation namin during training na capable siya mag-jump ng ganun kataas,” Guevarra said.
He added that with Grospe’s improved physical conditioning, “we aim to stretch that to as high as 2.30 meters para lumakas pa yung kanyang explosiveness.”
The coach expressed hope that they could secure overseas training or an intensive camp to further refine the athlete’s technique as part of preparations for the 20th Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Japan in September.
(C) PATAFA
Hoffman, meanwhile, was pleased to complete a hurdles sweep, replicating her feat from the 2024 edition held at the Philsports Complex in Pasig City, where she set a new national 100-meter hurdles record of 13.38 seconds.
“I wanted to go faster but I’ll take it because I don’t practice the 100 hurdles too much. It was fun—I haven’t done the double since 2024, so to be able to do the double is great,” she said. “I am just thankful for my health to get to these races.”
She also expressed satisfaction in defeating Aulia, who clocked 13.21 seconds in winning gold in Bangkok last December.
Hoffman is now eyeing a possible hat trick of gold medals as part of the national team’s 4×100-meter relay, whose final is scheduled Saturday night.
