Katherine Khay Santos

Article by Andrew Pirie

ATFS Statistician

Khay will primarily compete in the Long Jump but may be down as reserve runner in the

4×100 relay.

Khay attended her first SEA Games in 2011 and took Bronze in the Long Jump with a 6.25m

effort. She just missed out on a medal in the 2013 and 2015 editions. Despite in 2015 being

able to improve her longstanding PB of 6.25 to 6.40.

Having recently won the Malaysian Open in 5.83m, Khay will face a very strong challenge at

her third fourth SEA Games. With the top three from 2015 all present.

Struggling with Injuries for most of 2017. Khay originally was lined up in the SEA Games

4×100 but gave way to Eloiza Luzon who was showing rapid improvements.

Santos placed 5th in the 2017 SEA Games in 6.18m. While it was her best performance in over a year. It was still not enough as it was her third straight SEA Games in a row without a medal. She was removed from the national team.

in September of 2017.

Katherine Khay Santos

• also known as THE DUDE.
• Born: 29-Oct-90
• College: University of Baguio (Graduated)
• Coach: Dario De Rosas /Rohsaan Griffin (currently)
• Currently Based in Manila

Performance Profile

Personal Bests:

Outdoors:

• Long Jump- 6.40m Singapore SEA Games 04.Apr-15
• 6.40m Los Angeles (2015)
• 100m: 11.99 (2015 National Open)
• Triple Jump: 12.62m (2012 National Games)
• High Jump: 1.63m

Indoors:

60m 7.73 Seattle, 16-Jan-16

Long Jump 6.03m Seattle 16-Jan-16

Career Highlight:

2011 Bronze Medal Long Jump SEA Games

Originally from Baguio, Santos burst onto the radar of the Philippine Track and Field

Association. Due to Khay finishing second behind Marestella Torres at the 2011 National

Games in Bacolod.

In conclusion, this was an incredible initial breakthrough in performance. Khay being a

mediocre collegiate athlete with 5.49m to now a serious contender at the SEA Games. Also

Santos leap of 6.09m was good enough to get her special consideration for selection for the

2011 National Games.

Consequently, she did not waste this opportunity when she took the Bronze medal. Due to

finishing behind Marestella Torres and Maria Londa of Indonesia. While Marestella focused

on the bigger meets and then taking leave from the sport to give birth, Santos stepped out of

the shadows to capture two Long Jump national titles. Despite having finishing runner up the

previous two years.

Also, Khay was a member of the 4x100m women’s relay squad. They took a bronze medal

behind Thailand and Malaysia’s national team at the 2013 Thailand National Open.

Furthermore family has always been very important to Kath. Some setbacks and family

issues hindered her performance the past year. but now she is back on track and very focused

in getting back to the 2015 SEA Games. Also, Khay has again been named in the very

potential relay squad as she is both a long jumper and sprinter.

However at the 2015 SEA Games Khay was a very close fourth in the Long Jump with a leap

of 6.40m tying her personal best but just missing out on the Bronze medal (6.41m) taken by

her teammate Marestella Torres.

-Andrew Pirie, author of pinoyathletics.info, PSC Research Assistant, and Association of

Track and Field Statisticians.

News Articles:

Photo Gallery:

Katherine Khay Santos a Warrior to Be

By: Jessa G. Mangsat

From 2011

Katherine “Khay” Santos, a proud University of Baguio snatched one of the bronze medals in

the recently Southeast Asian Games held in Palembang, Jakarta, Indonesia.

Katherine is a long time athlete, she’s been engaged in sports since elementary until now. She

loves running and playing her events in jumping. Entering college life for her made her

realize the hardship of studying and playing her interest in sports. However, shes still

determined to finish her studies and a varsity player at the same time. Khay is a full scholar

of the University of Baguio and receives incentives for representing the school in different

invitational games.

Katherine as a teammate

According to Ellamae delos Santos, a former teammate of Khay, she used to be a model in

the team and always gives advice that really helps her co athlete.

“She encourages us to train more and harder because it is also for our own improvement”.

Ellamae added.

Katherine as an athlete.

Eduardo Laureano, Athletic Director of the University of Baguio happily said that

 

he is very proud to have Khay as her athlete. “Khay is a hard working athlete. She

 

tries to manage her time in training and studies in a balanced manner,” he said. Lerma Gabito a former Olympian, one of the mentors and coach of Khay proudly

 

said that Khay is such an optimistic person. “Whenever she didn’t reach her

 

standard performance in trainings she does her best to cope up in the next training.

Katherine as a student…

Katherine is such a jolly person inside the four corners of the classroom according to

Micahel Vinluan, her former classmates in some of her subjects. Khay considers her

classmates always in any situation and always deals with them properly he added.

Katherine “Khay” Santos has plans in entering the Philippine Team but still wishes

 

to work in the tourism management. “ Dreams will be fulfilled if you strive

 

harder”, she said. And the last thing that she can advice to her co athletes and

 

those other who dream to become a famous athlete someday is that “Discipline is

 

what it takes”.