REIGNING High School Boys’ champion Adamson University extended its lead over University of Santo Tomas and the rest of the field at the close of the second day of the UAAP Season 86 Athletics Championships on Thursday at the PhilSports Track Oval in Pasig City.
The Baby Falcons flexed their might by sweeping two podiums in the day’s three events for the boys — the 200 meters and the long jump — to take the huge 226 points to 112 advantage over the Junior Male Tracksters.
John Dave Tumangan collected his second gold of the season in record fashion in the 200 meters to lead Adamson. The 100-meter winner added the said event with a time of 21.99 seconds, resetting the standard of 22.60 set by University of the Philippines Integrated School’s Jaime Mejia at De La Salle-Dasmariñas in Season 76.
Fellow Baby Falcons Emanuel Morales and Hussein Loraña ended with the silver and bronze medals with 22.51 and 22.56, respectively.
Kurt Ragudos kept the long jump throne with Adamson on the best jump of 6.54 meters, while teammates Kurt Lyndon and Tumagan followed suit with 6.39 and 6.15, respectively.
University of the East raised its points to keep its place in the top three, thanks to the golden finish from James Calvin Abiera in the decathlon with a total of 4,858 points.
After a sixth-place finish in the javelin throw with a throw of 23.09 meters and 203 points, Abiera bounced back in the last two events to eventually take the win, concluding with a first-place finish in the 1500 meters with 4:54.06 minutes and 594 markers.
On the other hand, titleholders UST maintained its lead in the girls’ side despite the resurgence of a Jazen Araño-led UE squad, 175-146.
Araño, who is in her second year of eligibility for the Junior Lady Warriors, claimed another gold to follow her hammer throw title with the shotput gold on a heave of 10.74 meters. Teammate Heart Duarte took the silver with 10.53, while Adamson’s Rachelle Barbin bagged the bronze with 10.33.
The 3,000 meters also went UE’s way with Jyzel Gabriel winning with 11:35.57, but UST’s Lyka Raterta set the stage for her team’s later surge with the silver with 11:36.66. Adamson’s Bea Bico clinched the bronze with 12:01.98.
Still, it was the Junior Female Tracksters who had the last hurrah for the day.
UST went for the sweep in the 200 meters with Lea Ordinario leading the way with 25.67 seconds. Jamaica Saigan crossed the line next with 26.11, just marginally ahead of Ashley Tabad’s 26.15, to close the day for the reigning champions.
The third day of the championships will start at 1 p.m. on Friday in the same Pasig stadium.
