National high jumper Leonard Grospe shattered his own Philippine record after clearing 2.23 meters on his first attempt during the ICTSI Philippine Athletic Championships presented by the Philippine Sports Commission on Friday, June 13, at the New Clark City Athletic Stadium in Capas, Tarlac. The record-breaking performance highlighted a busy night that also saw Lauren Hoffman complete a hurdles golden double and several emerging athletes capture impressive victories.

The achievement came just over a month after Grospe established a new national standard of 2.22 meters during the NCAA Season 101 track and field championships at the same venue. The Southeast Asian Games bronze medalist continued his remarkable rise as he improved the mark once again in front of coaches, teammates, and supporters.

Grospe Raises The Bar

Grospe needed only one attempt to clear 2.23 meters and set another national record. Buoyed by the accomplishment, he raised the bar to 2.25 meters but was unable to surpass the new height.

The jump represented another milestone for the lanky standout, who first broke the long-standing Philippine record during the 2024 edition of the same competition. That performance eclipsed the previous national mark of 2.17 meters set by his coach, Sean Guevarra, which had stood for 19 years.

“Sobrang masaya ako kasi eto po yung standard sa last Asian Jumps,” Grospe said, referring to the winning leap recorded during the recent Asian Jumps competition in Chongqing, China.

Guevarra expressed confidence that his athlete is capable of even greater heights. Based on Grospe’s performances in training, the coach believes the national record holder can soon challenge the 2.25-meter barrier and potentially reach 2.30 meters.

“Actually yung target namin this year is 2.25 kasi nakikita namin sa preparation namin during training na capable siya mag-jump ng ganun kataas,” Guevarra said.

The coach added that improving Grospe’s explosiveness and overall technique remains a major focus as they prepare for the 20th Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Japan this September. Plans for overseas training or an intensive training camp are also being considered to maximize his development.

Hoffman Completes Double

Paris Olympian Lauren Hoffman added another highlight to the championships by winning the women’s 100-meter hurdles in 13.55 seconds. The victory completed a hurdles sweep after also capturing gold in her other specialty event earlier in the competition.

Hoffman edged reigning Southeast Asian Games champion Dina Aulia, who settled for silver in 13.63 seconds. Army athlete Jelly Diane Paragile rounded out the podium after clocking 14.16 seconds.

“I wanted to go faster but I’ll take it because I don’t practice it too much. It was fun. I haven’t done the doubles since 2024 so to be able to do the doubles is great,” Hoffman said.

The national record holder was also pleased to defeat Aulia, who won the Southeast Asian Games title in Bangkok last December. Hoffman remained in contention for a third gold medal as part of the Philippine women’s 4×100-meter relay team scheduled to compete in the finals on Saturday night.

Two-time Southeast Asian Games champion Clinton Kingsley Bautista also reclaimed the men’s 110-meter hurdles title. The Tarlac native crossed the finish line in 14.26 seconds to defeat rising teammate Tochukwu Okolo, who clocked 14.43 seconds, while Papua New Guinea’s Robert Oa finished third in 14.51 seconds.

Fil-American newcomer Gabe Borado delivered one of the biggest surprises of the evening by winning the men’s 400-meter hurdles in 47.05 seconds. Borado defeated a competitive field that included national athletes Mico del Prado and Frederick Ramirez.

The son of former Asian sprint star and current national coach Isidro del Prado, Borado showcased his potential by earning a breakthrough victory. Del Prado secured silver in 47.29 seconds, while Francis Patanpatan claimed bronze in 47.79 seconds.

Another Fil-American athlete also celebrated success as Amanda Javellana captured the women’s hammer throw title with a throw of 51.12 meters. The 18-year-old, whose parents are originally from Negros Oriental, represented the Philippines at the Southeast Asian Games last year and continues to strengthen her credentials on the national stage.