2017 SEA Games Athletics Day 3 Early Report

Article by Manolo Pedralvez (NB: with some edits)

KUALA LUMPUR – Fil-Am Trenten Beram was poised to avenge compatriot Eric Shawn Cray. After topping the men’s 200-meter heats Wednesday. While evergreen Arniel Ferrera reached the podium again in the second day of action of the 29^th Malaysian Southeast Asian Games trackfest at the National Stadium here.

Racing in the same heat as newly-crowned century dash men’s champion Khairul Hafiz Jantan, Beram sent a warning to the Malaysian he would not go unchallenged in topping the 200-meter heats in 20.99 seconds.

Jantan, who dethroned Cray in the men’s century dash last Tuesday. Came in second in 21.36 seconds. While the other Filipino runner, Archand Bagsit, clocked 21.50 seconds also made it to the finals set at 9:40 p.m.

Former Southeast Asian Games sprint queen Kayla Richardson appeared sluggish in the women’s 200-meters heats. Richardson Placing fourth overall in 24.57 seconds. A tenth of a second slower than compatriot Zion Rose Nelson, who was the third-fastest qualifier in 24.56 seconds.

Vietnam’s Le Tu Chinh (23.63) and Singapore’s Shanti Pereira (24.17) were 1-2, respectively, in the heats and will head the least runners in the women’s 200-meter finals at 9:30 p.m.

The early good news of the day was the bronze-medal performance o f the semi-retired Ferrera. Most noteworthy is the fact Ferrera is a four-time SEA Games champion. As a result he heaved the hammer to a distance of 55.94 meters.

“I wanted to show our athletes that we coaches serve as role models and should remain fit even while we are coaching,” Ferrera, 36, an Air Force Master Sargeant, who is now a member of the national coaching staff, said.

Also scheduled to compete later are gold-medal hopeful Mark Harry Diones in the men’s triple jump at 8:10 p.m..And Mervin Guarte and Marco Vilog in the men’s 800-meter run at 8:50 pm.