By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
The Philippine athletics team collected three silver and one bronze medal in the recent XXXIV Qosanov Memorial in Almaty, Kazakhstan over the weekend.
Veteran Janry Ubas delivered the first medal with a silver in the men’s long jump, leaping 7.53 meters to finish behind eventual gold medalist Murali Sreeshankar of India (7.94m). Azerbaijan’s Nazim Babayev clinched the bronze with 7.48m.
The mixed 4x400m relay of Kharis Pantonial, Bernalyn Bejoy, Susan Ramadan and Hussein Loraña also delivered the lone bronze medal, timing 3 minutes and 29.92 seconds.
As if it was not enough, Bejoy and Loraña also came through with silver medals in their individual events.
The 23-year-old Bejoy, a five-time national champion, clocked 2:12.27 to settle behind women’s 800m winner Irina Levina of Uzbekistan, who timed 2:12.07. Local bet Yevgeniya Krasaeva finished third in 2:12.51.
Loraña registered 1:52.69 in the men’s 800m behind eventual champion Ali Amirian of Iran, who posted 1:52.09. Kazakhstan’s Nikita Izotov bagged the bronze with 1:53.97.
Meanwhile, Clinton Bautista almost made it to the podium after finishing fourth in the men’s 100m hurdles, timing 14.38 seconds. Local standout David Yefremov won the gold with 13.99sec.
Other Filipinos who competed were Ronnie Malipay, who finished sixth in men’s triple jump, Anfernee Lopena (sixth, men’s 100m), Kharis Pantonial (fourth, men’s 400m Final 2), and Susan Ramadan (fifth, women’s 1500m).
