Karen and Feiza
Day 1: Karen tidies up the record book
With the rush hour meet months of November and December nearly over. The Batang Pinoy Finals returned a second time in the same year to Bacolod. Most impressive at this meet were two girls from the Leyte Sports Academy fresh from the ASEAN School Games at Marikina the week before. National 100 Hurdles record holder Karen Janario, 15 claimed sole ownership of several shared records.
Karen tidies up the meet records with her ASEAN School Games Buddies
Karen was quickest through the qualifiers of the 100 Meters winning the second heat in 12.59 with a helpful +1.8 tail wind. Which help tidy up her hand timed 12.5 (HT) and 12.71 (+2.9) marks set in the heats and finals of the 2013 Finals. Elrica Guro (Iloilo) the Milo Little Olympics Champion won the first heat in 12.95, Jaycie Beronio, 14 who took the silver last year behind Karen was second behind Karen in heat 2 in 12.95. In the third heat Milo Little Olympic jumps champion Gatinga who was the favorite to win the heat was disqualified for jumping the gun.
Karen came back to the finals and again blew away her closest pursuers she set a meet record again of 12.53 (0.7). Jaycie Beronio (Negros) came in second again for the second year in a row in 12.92, edging out Elrica Anne Guro (Iloilo) 12.95.
In the Womens 100 Hurdles there were 10 entries and they were divided into 2 heats with the top 3 from both heats being awarded the medals. Karen was back in action she didnt disappoint winning in 14.80 into a -1.0 head wind. Claiming sole ownership of the meet record which was 15.7 Rocena Chua (Laguna) set at Iloilo in 2012 and her own mark of 16.46 set last year. A very dominating win Karen nearest pursuer was over seconds behind clocking in at 17.19.
Meanwhile in the girls 400 Meters the two entries for the ASEAN School Games both drew the third heat Palaro 800 Champion De Josef (Aklan) won this over Feiza Jane Lenton (Leyte) with both girls getting ET. PB of 59.79 and 1.00.12. Another ASEAN Schools representative in the 400 Hurdles Gemalyn Pino, 14 won the second heat in 1.00.36.
In the final Anjelica who was suffering some recurring injury issues sucumbed this time to Feiza who won in a PB of 59.1, Anjelica came in for silver in 59.3. Pino took the bronze in 1.00.2. Feiza broke the meet record of Jaycie Beronio of 1.00.8 set last year, while Anjelica time in the heat is the electronic record for the event.
The 1500 was without Anjelica who holds the record in that event also it was Marisol Amarga the Milo Little Olympic Champion who won the event in 4:57.89 some 5 seconds slower than the meet record.
Karen then teamed with Feiza, Pino and her new buddy from LSA Justine Catindoy to win the girls 4×100 in 51.13. Which was a new electronic meet record but outside the meet record of 50.6ht set by LSA two years ago.
Gianelli Gatinga (Taguig) the Milo Little Olympic champion won the Long Jump in 5.04m, in the High Jump Judith Paquieroa (South Cotobato) not only tied the meet record of Leah Taltala but also scalped Taltala who could only manage the bronze this year.
Marizel Buer (South Cotobato) broke Jewel Manaig meet record from last year (11.36m) with a throw of 11.49m.
2014 Batang Pinoy Finals Day 2: Karen and Feiza go five for five
Two 15 year olds from the Leyte Sports Academy (LSA) Karen Janario and Feiza Lenton brought there medal tallies to five golds each as the Batang Pinoy Final concluded. Both girls had joined the Philippine school team at the ASEAN School Games the week before.
Feiza began off by showing her vast range in events by adding the 3000m title in a new best of 10:56.7 to her 400m title the other day. Feiza turned the tables on Anjelica De Josef who had beaten her at the Kalibo qualifiers by running 2.19.56 to Anjelica 2.21.06. Both girls ran under the 2.21.39 meet record set last year by Anjelica.
Her buddy Karen showed ‘All was well’ by going through the third heat with the fastest time of the 200 girls with 25.6 passing her 25.7 (ht) record. Jaycie Beranio (Negros) silver medalist this in this event last year kind of followed Karen through in the same heat in 26.7. While Jessel Lumapas (Dasmarinas) won the second heat also in 26.7.
Janario came back later in the day to add her third individual gold medal and fourth medal of the tournament with a time of 25.72 in the final, outside her personal best of 25.23 set at ASEAN Schools were she had won the silver. Unfortunately there was no wind reading recorded hence the official record stays with Jaycie Beronio at 26.36 from last year, while the 25.72 (considered a winded time). Beronio landed second in 26.54 and Lumpas third in 26.80. Guro withdrew from the race due to injuries.
Enrico Avila won the boys race in 23.56 which was wind aided by +2.5.
Janario then teamed up with Feiza, Gemalyn Pino and Justine Catindoy to take the meet record with a time of 4.04.19 in the girls 4×400 battering down the old time of 4.07.8 that the Leyte team set last year having Catindoy instead of Olorvida.
Hurdles Finals divided into sections
In the boys 400 Hurdles 17 athletes were divided into three heats and the top three times overall were awarded the medals. Marjun Sulleza ran 57.8 and was 1 second away from the meet record of Alexis Soqueno (Bacolod) (56.8).
While in the girls event a similar arrangement with 14 girls divided into 2 heats. The top three times were awarded the medals. Pino (LSA) who had competed in this event at ASEAN School Games won the first heat in 1.07.6. However in the second heat Ezel Divingracia (Iloilo) clocked a slightly faster time of 1.07.5 to claim the gold with Pino settling for silver. Both girls ran below the hand timed meet record of 1.07.7 Paula Bardaje (Marikina) set in Iloilo 2012.
It was also a neck to neck finish in the boys 2000m Walk with Arnel Unto (General Santos City) getting the nod over Rolando Bandarlipe (Pangasinan) 11.24.23 (ht) to 11.24.29 (ht).
Other Meet Records tumble
While in the women 80% of the women’s records fell, only one record was broken in the Boys. Gianelli Gatinga improved on her recent performance of 11.59m to win the Milo Little Olympics to shatter her meet record of 10.99m last year registering a new PB of 11.64m. The 14 year old from Taguig City had just missed out on being short listed for the ASEAN School Games but is within range of the 11.79m qualifying mark for next year.
The only boys record to fell came on the first day with Tyrone Flores throwing 14.10m with the 5kg shotput to break his 13.24m record.
Monica Louise Andaya,15 one of the many daughters of legendary coach Rosito Andaya demolished her Javelin record with the 500 grams throwing 40.66m improving her mark from last year of 38.42m.
Also on the first day, In the women’s 2000m walk the top three all went under the old meet record of 10.52.62 set by Mary Jane Mantilla (Laguna) in Iloilo 2012. Mariz Sabado won in 10.22.73 with her Pangasinan team mate Jheneva Eleria second in 10.23.12 and third went to Theresa Pantaliano of Brgy. Bunga Salvador Benedicto in 10.43.63.
12 New Girls Records Set
A total of twelve records were set in Girls Athletics, this is the most in the games history apart from 2011 when the records were initially established. Karen Janario broke three of her own individual records in the 100, 200, and 100 Hurdles she broke it by a massive margin lowering it from 16.46 to 14.80. She also helped her Leyte Sports Academy team to a 51.13 clocking.
In Boys however only two records were set Michael Lawrence Lopez (Cebu) in the 100m and Tyronne Flores (Negros) in the Boys 5kg Shotput.
A Full updated list of records can be viewed here
Where are they now the record holders?
Its interesting to note considerable success has followed the Record Holders of the Batang Pinoy. Five of them Janario, Lenton, Pino and Escoton all from Leyte and De Josef of Aklan all qualified for the 2014 ASEAN School Games team. While Gatinga 11.64m (needs 11.79m x 3) and Andaya 40.66m (ranked #3) have a good chance of qualifying for the 2015 ASEAN School Games team and just missed out selection for 2014.
All of the above except Pino and Escoton won medals at the ASEAN School Games, with Karen remarkably breaking the 100 Hurdle Junior Record shortly before the 2014 Batang Pinoy even started.
In the Boys Rutaquio, Soqueno, Belibestre and Nabong were selected to the ASEAN School Games team. Rutaquio and Belibestre both won silver medals. While Contic was selected for the 2014 ASEAN School Games team but was uncontactable and Balejboco was close but just missed out.
