Karen Andrea Manayon (left) and Artjoy Torregosa (right) flanks their head coach Arvin Loberanis. | Contributed photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Region 7’s track and field athletes continue to flex their might in the long-distance track races of the National Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) Games 2024 after Artjoy Torregosa broke a meet record in her gold medal win on Monday, July 22, at the Bicol University (BU) Oval in Legazpi City, Albay.
Torregosa, one of Cebu’s vaunted runners from the University of San Carlos (USC), ruled the women’s 5,000m run by clocking a new meet record of 18 minutes and 32.3 seconds.
She eclipsed the 2010 record of CAR’s Floredeliza Donos who registered 18:35.3 in the National PRISAA Games in Manila.
READ: CV’s Mahinay clinches first gold, sets new record in Nat’l PRISAA
Torregosa’s teammate and Philippine triathlon team member Karen Andrea Manayon finished second for the silver medal after breasting the finish tape in 20:12.6.
Earning the bronze medal was CAR’s Sheila Mae Sanga with 21:10.1. The fourth place went to Negros Island Region’s Angelica Bacaro (21:43.6), while Region 12’s Leedy Erika Villamonte (21:46.9) completed the top five finishers in the women’s 5,000m run.
READ: Region 7 gears up for National PRISAA Games 2024 in Albay
Torregosa, the reigning women’s 42k defending champion of the Cebu Marathon, aims to replicate her 2023 performance where she won all of her three events. Last year, she topped not just the 5,000m run, but also the 10,000m and 1,500m runs.
On Monday, Mark Mahinay of the University of Cebu (UC) won the first track and field gold medal for Central Visayas by ruling the men’s 5,000m run. On top of that, Mahinay reset the decade-old record of Sonny Wagdos of Tagum City in the men’s 5,000m run by clocking in 15 minutes and 22.9 seconds, erasing the latter’s 2014 meet record of 15:24.
READ: Region 7 Tracksters Gear Up for National PRISAA Games 2024 in Albay despite obstacles
In swimming, Region 7 already hauled four gold medals and two silvers as of this writing.
Leading the gold medal rush was Jehaosh Garrido (100m breaststroke) and Jehaosh Garrido (100m breaststroke), Necie Grace Bullecer (100m backstroke). They added another gold medal after topping the 4×50 medley relay men’s along with Boholano Dan Michael Macaranas of the PMI Navigators, and Gil Anton Talisaysay.
Meanwhile, the silver medalists for Region 7’s swimming squad were Beatriz Cimafranca (100m breaststroke) and Julia Marie Rabanes, Bullecer, Cimafranca, and Bencynt Ghail Luague for the 4×50 medley relay female.