Hussein Loraña coasts to victory in the men's 800-meter run in the ICTSI Philippine Athletic Championships presented by the PSC at the New Clark Athletic Stadium in Capas, Tarlac, June 14, 2026. PSC Media
MANILA -- Hussein Loraña was just shy of the Philippine record when he crossed the finish line in the men's 800-meters in the penultimate day of the Philippine Athletic Championships, Saturday night in Capas, Tarlac.
Loraña, a gold medalist in last year's Southeast Asian Games, surged in the final 100 meters to blow by erstwhile frontrunner Oyam Kent Espinosa in checking in at one minute and 48.39 seconds.
His time was 0.87 off the seven-year-old national standard of 1:47.52 set by Fil-Am Carter Lilly on April 19, 2019 at the Bryan Clay International in Azusa, California.
It was the third men's 800-meter title for the former UAAP Season 86 MVP in the athletic showcase.
"Although sa tingin ko kaya ko naman na ma-break yung record, sa tamang panahon pa yon," said Loraña after his near record-breaking performance.
"I am hoping to break it sa Asian Under-23 championships in Ordos, China next month," he added.
Meanwhile, KG Mercuries -- led by former national sprinter Anfernee Lopena -- ruled the men's 4x100-m relay.
A two-time SEA Games men's 100-meter bronze medalist, Lopena led off for a strong start for the KG Mercuries, which was sustained by second and third runners Vicjardi Tapia and Ralp Anthony Lego.
It was left for PRISAA track standout Kent Paul Burdan as the anchor leg to bring the gold home in a victorious time of 40.56 seconds.
Pinoy Athletics settled for silver (40.57) while the national team (40.70) was relegated to bronze.
The night did not go well for the women's national team, as the quartet of Lauren Hoffman, Kristina Knott, Jessica Laurance and Lianne Diane Palma was disqualified for a faulty hand-off from Knott to Laurance.
Malaysia secured gold (45.63), UST got silver (48.62) and La Salle-Taft (48.90) in a 1-2-3 finish in the women's 4x100-meter relay of the tournament also backed Energya and Cherrylume.
Fil-Am hammer thrower Sydney Joshua Yap show winning form in clinching the the gold medal in the event with a heave of 50.65 meters in the ICTSI Philippine Athletic Championships presented by the PSC at the New Clark Athletic Stadium in Capas, Tarlac, June 14, 2026. PSC Media
Under a new coach, 33rd Thai SEAG veteran Fil-Am Sydney Joshua Yap heaved the hammer throw to a personal best of 50.65 meters for his first gold in the meet after taking runner-up honors in the previous edition.
Aided by closest foe John Celestino Romero's failure to score in the pole vault, Janry Ubas completed a golden double in scoring 6,440 points in capturing mint in the the grueling decathlon.
Under the banner of the Philippine Vault Club, Romero got the silver (5,865) and UST's Rolly Royo bronze (5,634) in the 10-event discipline.
Early Sunday morning, 33rd Thailand SEAG marathon silver medalists Sonny Wagdos and Artjoy Torregosa, who competed in a 21k road race of the Manila Marathon the previous day, still had enough energy spare in topping the men's and women's 10,000-meter runs, respectively.
Competing in their third event since Tuesday, Wagdos clocked 31.10. 64 for his second medal in the trackfest after getting silver behind Yacine Guermali in the men's 5,000-meter race.
Torregosa added her second mint with a winning time 36.34.74 of following to the 5,000-meter title she won earlier.