Hussein Loraña completed a memorable golden double, while Jessa Mae Roda and Rica Balderama matched the feat as the ICTSI Philippine Athletics Championships presented by the Philippine Sports Commission concluded Sunday at the New Clark City Athletics Stadium.

The final day of competition saw several standout performances, including a redemption victory by the national men’s 4×400-meter relay team, which made up for the disappointment suffered by the country’s 4×100-meter squad earlier in the meet.

Loraña, fresh from his triumph in the men’s 800-meter race, added another title by winning the men’s 1,500 meters. Roda followed up her success in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase with another gold, while Balderama secured her second championship after earlier ruling the long jump.

Strong Finish for Champions

Competing in the 1,500 meters for the first time since the 2019 Batang Pinoy National Championships, Loraña delivered a patient and tactical performance before unleashing a decisive kick over the final stretch.

The Southeast Asian Games gold medalist crossed the finish line in 3:49.12, completing his second victory of the tournament and further strengthening his preparations for upcoming international competitions.

Roda also completed a golden campaign by winning the women’s 1,500-meter race in 4:37.01. The victory added to the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase crown she secured earlier in the week.

Balderama joined the exclusive group of double gold medalists after producing a winning leap of 12.42 meters in the women’s triple jump. The result came after she had already topped the long jump event earlier in the championships.

National Relay Squad Rebounds

The national men’s 4×400-meter relay team provided one of the biggest highlights of the closing day after capturing gold in dominant fashion.

Anchored by Mico del Prado, son of Philippine middle-distance legend Isidro del Prado, the quartet of Frederick Ramirez, Alrhyan Labita, Kharis Pantonial and Del Prado clocked 3:13.25 to secure victory.

The KG Mercuries, who captured the men’s 4×100-meter relay title the previous evening, settled for silver in 3:14.31, while Team España earned bronze with a time of 3:18.68.

In the women’s 4×400-meter relay, the La Salle-Taft quartet of Ashley Mecel Tabad, Jamaica Kate Saligan, Erica Marie Ruto and Lea Krizdea Ordinario surged to gold after clocking 3:56.78.

Loraña admitted that his decision to compete in the 1,500 meters came after careful consideration following his taxing 800-meter victory the night before.

He revealed that excitement and overthinking limited him to only five hours of sleep before eventually managing a couple more hours of rest ahead of the race.

The rising middle-distance star said he and his father and coach, Bonifacio Loraña, would soon discuss whether adding the 1,500 meters to his schedule for the Asian Games in Japan later this year would be beneficial.

Meanwhile, national coach Isidro del Prado expressed pride in the men’s 4×400-meter squad’s performance, especially after the country’s 4×100-meter relay team settled for bronze despite being assembled on short notice.

While pleased with the victory, Del Prado admitted he expected an even faster performance from the quartet. He noted that a previous Philippine relay team had clocked 3:11.2 during the Singapore Open and emphasized that the current squad still has room for improvement.

Despite his satisfaction with the effort, Del Prado remains focused on helping the relay program continue its progress as the national team prepares for future international competitions.