WORDS BY: JASMINE PAYO
ILLUSTRATION BY: KELVIN TEE
December 1, 2009 | 1473 views
The 28-year-old Torres leaped at 6.51 meters, beating out world No. 9 Chen Ya Ling of China and Asia’s No. 1 Sachiko Masumi of Japan, to clinch the country's first Asian-level athletics competition in over 20 years.
"It's unexpected," said Torres. "My only target was to deliver a decent performance as a warm up for the SEA Games in Laos.”
Torres will defend her SEA Games gold along with national athletics teammates Rene Herrera (men's 3000m steeplechase), Julius Felicisimo Nierras Jr. (men's 400m), Arniel Ferrera (men's hammer throw) and Henry Dagmil (men's long jump).
JUDO
He may be the oldest Philippine bet, but John Baylon continues to deliver.
Baylon copped his eighth SEA Games gold medal at 43 years old in the men’s half middleweight division in 2007, and the country's No. 1 judoka is expected to do the same in this year's edition.
CYCLING
Champion cyclists Alfie Catalan, Joey Barba and Marites Bitbit head the Philippine cycling team vying to defend their titles amid a tough SEA Games field.
"They are going to face strong opposition this time but we have full confidence in them," said Manding Bautista, the Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines secretary general.
Barba dominated the men's mountain bike downhill in the SEA Games' last two editions. Bitbit ruled the women’s road cycling, while Catalan topped the men's track individual pursuit in 2007.
