PROFILE:

Date of Birth: July 3, 1995

EVENT: DISCUS PB. 44.97M

From: Santa Rosa Laguna

Coach: Arniel Ferrera (current)

School: University of the East

It has been a long time since the Philippines produced a good Discus Thrower. Rhea Joy Sumalpong is part of a new generation of throwers coming in. Sumalpong has improved her best time three times this year. And last week increased her PB to 44.97m. This now puts her in the third spot in the 2017 SEA Rankings. It also puts her at #3 on the All Time list. Her biggest achievement was winning the Malaysian Open in July 2017 ahead of Tzen of Malaysia who ranks ahead of her for 2017.

The Discus Throw record of the Philippines in womens is one of the oldest in the books it is held by the ‘Late-Great’ Josephine Dela Vina and was set way back in 1971. Dela Vina a three time Olympian 1964, 1968, 1972 and both an Asian Games 1966 and Asian Champion 1973 (a feat perhaps only squalled by Lydia De Vega Mercado). She ranked as high as 11th in the world at one time.

Her impressive mark of 54.71m that has stood for 46 years would be strong enough for Silver at SEA Games even now.

Perhaps Sumalpong can make it into the Top three in the SEA Games. In fact the last Athlete to qualify for SEA Games in Womens Discus was Roselyn Hamero back in 1999, who finished only 6th. The last women to win a medal at the SEA Games in this event was Dorie Cortejo in 1991 who ranks #2 on the all time list.

2017 SEA Rankings Discus