Fresh off his Rookie of the Year run in UAAP Season 88, Hussein Loraña of Ateneo de Manila claimed his first-ever Southeast Asian Games gold medal by winning the men’s 800 meters in athletics on Monday at the Supachalasai Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Loraña, who recently dominated his peers in the country’s premier collegiate league, proved he could also excel on the regional stage by capturing the title.
The UAAP Season 85 High School Boys’ Athletics Rookie-MVP, then with Adamson University, shaved his UAAP record of 1:51.76 down to 1:48.80 in the SEA Games final to secure the gold.
(C) POC Media
“Super unexpected po kasi I’m against Southeast Asia’s fastest runners in the 400 meters as well. So, sobrang hindi in-expect na mananalo ako sa event na ‘to,” said Loraña, one-half of the Loraña twins with Hassan.
“Since I know na halos lahat sila is 400-meter runners, ako is 800-meter runner, alam ko na kulang sila sa endurance, kakapusin sila. So, as much as I could, tinry ko na ako ‘yung mag-lead ng pack. Pero kahit natin nagawa ‘yung plano na ‘yon, nanalo pa rin naman tayo.”
His triumph also gives a boost to the Philippine athletics contingent, which has been chasing more gold medals following standout performances from Olympian John Cabang in the men’s 110-meter hurdles and Hokkett Delos Santos in the men’s decathlon.
Thailand’s Joshua Atkinson, who won the event at the 2021 Games in Vietnam, could not replicate his previous success in front of the home crowd and settled for silver with a new personal best of 1:49.24.
Malaysia’s Wan Zahari Wan Muhammad Fazri completed the podium with a time of 1:49.85, just a few ticks behind Atkinson.
