CHAMP. Mark Harry Diones wins the men's open triple jump event in the ICTSI Philippine Athletics Championships at Ilagan City Sports Complex, Isabela province on Sunday (March 26, 2023). He jumped 15.81 meters, but it was way below the 16.70m national record he set in the 2017 edition. (Courtesy of PATAFA)
ILAGAN CITY, Isabela – Former Asian championships silver medalist Mark Harry Diones was far from his best form but still bagged the gold medal in the men's open triple jump with a 15.81-meter leap in the ICTSI Philippine Athletics Championships at Ilagan City Sports Complex here on Sunday.
Diones defeated Vietnam's Tran Van Dien, the 2021 Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) bronze medalist, who submitted 15.73m for the silver medal and Bohol’s Ronnie Malipay who settled for third at 15.34m.
"I think I did okay. It's my new season's best for 2023," the back-to-back silver medalist in the SEA Games said. “Thankful for the win. I hope to sustain the momentum in the next events.”
The 5-foot-11 native of Libmanan, Camarines Sur is hoping to jump over 16 meters in the Cambodia SEA Games scheduled on May 5 to 17.
Diones holds the national record of 16.70m he set in the 2017 edition of this tournament organized by the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA).
In the same year, he bagged silver at the 22nd Asian Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar, India.
However, like most athletes, his training was affected by the pandemic.
"It's difficult because the training is intermittent. The two-year pandemic is a big factor, so it's hard to get back the 16.70," said Diones, who is being coached by Jojo Posadas.
Diones won the silver medal three in a row in the SEA Games in 2017 in Malaysia, in 2019 in the Philippines and in 2022 in Vietnam.
Meanwhile, Nolan Crespo ruled the men's open 100m on Saturday, following the path of fellow Filipino-American Kristina Knott who ruled the women’s side.
Crespo ran 10.89 seconds to beat Amatus Somaghai of Indonesia (10.92) and Muhd Noor Firdau Al-Rashid Hj Md Idris (10.96).
The 5-foot-7 Crespo is a college senior taking up cognitive science at the University of California in San Diego.
As a junior, he triumphed at the Azusa Pacific University Last Chance, setting a new school record of 10.36.
The Tokyo Olympian Knott clocked 11.87 seconds to beat Malaysian Zaidatul Husniash Zulkifli (12.02) and Lianne Diana Pama of the University of Santo Tomas (12.08).
In the men's Open decathlon, John Mike Lera (City of Ilagan-National Team) claimed victory with a total of 510 points. Primo Luciano Legis Lopez (383) and Jose Matteo Crisostomo (379) of Ateneo de Manila University finished second and third, respectively.
The gold medalists in the under-20 category were Thailand's Methasit Khramphinit (men's 400mH), Gabriel Cervantes (men's 5,000m walk), Nicko Alas (men's shot put), Hussein Lorana (men's 800m), Angel Saysay (women's 800m), and Karenmae Pelegria (women's 100m); while the winners in the Under-18 category were Denver Tacay (boys' discus throw), Xyndrex Chris Orinion (boys' 100m), Juvelle Alexa Matnog (girls' 100m), Gian Carlo Aiso (boys' 5,000m), Seph Blessee Placido (girls' 3,000m walk) and Mariel Malinao (girls' 5,000m).
In morning events, Mark Anthony Estoya of Pasig clocked 50:10.84 to win the 10,000m walk gold, besting University of Santo Tomas’ Martin Angelo Leehuekee (52:04.45) and University of the Philippines’ Francis James San Gabriel (55:20.36).
In the discus throw, Denver Tacay of the University of Baguio took gold with a 47.03-meter heave, besting province mate Kurt Errol Colalong (39.84m) and hometown bet Rodemar Bugtong (27.16m). (PNA)
