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.
October 24th, 2007 at 9:57 pm
Ano na po ba nangyari kay Honey Joy Ortaliz na pinadala ng PATAFA sa High Performance Training Center IAAF sa Malaysia? Sayang, iba na lang sana ang ipinadala. May pagkatamad at di consistent kasi si Honey Joy kaya walang mangyari sa career nya sa track.
October 17th, 2007 at 2:18 am
I am shocked that Henares did a 1.07 mins lately in 400m, 27.2in 200m and 13.6 in 100 and her coach were proud of these times! Even in rainy conditions these times though they were records in that meet are all pathetic. She better work harder if she wants to approximate at least Lydia de Vega.
October 15th, 2007 at 12:08 am
Henares time I hope will improve a lot. She better be ready with the competition coming from Klang Posadas, Elma Muros daughter. She needs to run 58 sec in 400m this coming Olympic Festival, 25.8 for 200 and 12.6 in 100m. These are the decent times if she wants to be compared to Lydia de Vega. Her times now are good but slow for int’l competition her age. But keep up the training.
October 14th, 2007 at 11:25 am
Well the current fastest that we have since Lerma Balauiatan seems to be Sharon Jizmundo. Kaya lang parang kabute lulubog lilitaw. Nag 11.8 yata yun sa Brunei. last year. Mabagal pa rin sa asean or asian level pero yun na yata talaga lang kaya natin. Matuk mo pinadala si maristella torres sa IAAF sa japan na ang tagal na di tumakbo0 sa 100m. Ayun nag 12.44secs at kulelat. Token representative na nga di pa pinadala ng PATAFA ang best 100m sprinter. Hehe long jumper na injured pa. Patakbuhin na lang natin ulit si Diay.
Hopefully bumilis si Henares sa 100, 200 at 400m agad dahil nagiging boring na ang PATAFA. Di gaya ng panahon nila Del Prdo, Elma at Lydia; kaliwat kanan ang golds sa asian level.
October 14th, 2007 at 11:16 am
I think Henares will eventually beat Klang Posadas. Talented ung anak ni Elma pero tamad magtrain, di nun nakuha ung disiplina at tapang ng nanay nyang c Elma. At saka laos na din ung tatay nya magcoach na c Jojo Posadas. Sorry po Ms Elma pero talented nga ang anak mo pero mukang pasulpot sulpot lang ang training sa athletics at mas hilig pa yata mag internet at mag basketbol. I just wish Henares will run 55secs soon by age 17yo, otherwise di nya katulad ci Elma o ci Lydia.