By June Navarro
Inquirer
ILOILO CITY–Many have tried but no one has come close to approximating the promise shown by former Asian sprint queen Lydia De Vega-Mercado at an early age.
But track officials here believe they have found a De Vega-Mercado-in-the-making after a Filipino-Canadian from Bacolod City powered to two impressive wins in the second day of the Philippine Olympic Festival Visayas Qualifying leg.
Jami Dawn Henares, 15, overwhelmed the field in the 400 meters, clocking a minute and .01 second, then snared another gold in the 200m with a time of 27.2 that caught the attention of Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association technical personnel.
The honor student at Destiny Christian Academy could have been the first triple gold medalist of the games had the charming 5-foot-6 lass ruled the 100m dash the other day.
“I didn’t start well because I wasn’t listening to the starting gun,” said Henares, who lost to Jenelyn Progio of Capiz by a hairline but avenged that defeat in the 200m.
Progio timed 13.435 against Henares’ (13.436) in the 100m.
After ruling the century dash, the 18-year-old Progio went on to bag two more golds in the 100m and 400m hurdles.
“I train her along with La Salle’s (Bacolod) track and field men’s varsity team,” said Frankie Echavarria, Henares’ personal coach.
In all, Capiz took five more golds in athletics.
Joannu Fegarido ruled the boys’ 200m dash, Sharjon Delgado dominated the boys’ 400m hurdles, Hanny Jean Delfin won the 10,000m and Joan Grace Fenitro prevailed in the girls’ shotput for Capiz.
Iloilo struck hard in taekwondo, collecting a total of 19 gold medals, and kept its head high in football, coming back from two goals down to force a 2-2 draw against Cebu.
Christian John Gersanib (finweight), Kevin Cabariban (welter), Keva Labrador (fin), Ryka Bernardo (fly), Ivanna Marie Mabunay (welter), Mario Nepomuceno (bantam), Jon Adjijil (feather), Gabriel Arnigo (fin), Carole Bullon (fin), Rieth Pangham (bantam), Lyn June Salibius (light) scored wins in the juniors division.
Providing the gold for Iloilo in the grade school division were Louvett Uy Deong, Ron Alde Dedoroy, Lester Barcenilla, Nicole Vidallon and Ayanna Benita Galotera.
May 6th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Dagmil placed 2nd with 7.85m Long Jump at UC Irvine with +0.9 wind thats his second ever best jump after his 7.87m sea games record last year. Marestella Torres 5.94m only in LJ. Sheena, Kashus and Deb Sampson didnt compete.
Dagmil is showing the determination and dedication to getting to the olympic games. He probably should have got that automatic wild card entry which has been given to Julius Nierras.
April 30th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Torres 6.31m & Kashus Perona 48.33.
April 26th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
Narcisca Atienza the Heptathlete has been stripped of her sea games medal she won in Bangkok 2007 by the SEA Games federation for failing a doping test. Further action is upto the sports organization now.
April 24th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
It seems Luville Dato-on has not improved much in long jump and 100 meters since last year. So is this girl Ruffa Bargola. But I think if PATAFA is thinking of pooling young athletes for future competitions..they should be taken in. So are the sons of del Prado, Unso and Tabunan (?). They need to be shouted and pushed like what Keon did his GA athletes
seriously.
April 21st, 2008 at 5:30 pm
7.73m (+0.3) for Dagmil and 13.70s (+0.6) for Sheena in Hurdles. Thats Sheena’s second best time ever and probably one of Dagmil’s better jumps. Time is of the essence now.