FILE–Philippines’ John Tolentino in action during 110m hurdles men’s final in the 2023 SEA Games. REUTERS/Jeremy Lee
BANGKOK—John Christopher Cabang Tolentino reset his own national record after nearly placing third in the men’s 110m hurdles on Friday night at the 25th Asian Athletics Championships.
Tolentino finished with a similar clocking with Kuwait’s Yaqoub Alyouha in 13.56 seconds, but the latter was rewarded with the bronze medal after reaching the line faster by a head.
“It was close, it was a good race. And yes, it was a new (national) record,’’ said Tolentino, who erased his previous best of 13.65 seconds that the Filipino-Spanish hurdler accomplished at the Campeonato de Esukadi in Vitoria-Gasteiz in Spain last month.
Japan’s Shunya Takayama claimed the gold medal in 13.29 seconds and China’s Zhuoyi Xu pocketed the silver in 13.39.
The Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association is appealing the result of Tolentino’s race.
FILE–Eric Cray.
Eric Cray progressed to the final of the men’s 400m hurdles later in the night at the Supachalasai National Stadium here while Kristina Knott wasn’t as fortunate in her medal bid in the women’s 100m medal race.
Cray, the 2017 Asian champion, checked second in his semifinal heat in 49.98 seconds behind the cocky Mahdi Pirjahan of Iran (49.71).
Also making it to Saturday’s final are Japan’s Yusaku Kodama 49.45), Zhiyu Xie of China (49.60), India’s Yashas Palaksha (49.60), Qatar’s Bassem Hemeida (49.81), Chinese Taipei’s Ming Yang Peng (50.04) and India’s Anthosh Umar Amilarasan (50.6).
“I didn’t give it all, but I didn’t hold back either. I just made sure there’s more left in the tank,’’ said Cray, the six-time Southeast Asian Games champion and record-holder of 49.40 seconds.
Knott wound up sixth out of the eight finalists in the 100m, clocking 11.61 seconds behind gold winner Pereira Shanti of Singapore (11.20), Iran’s Farzaneh Fasihi (11.39) and bronze medalist Ge Manqi of China (11.40).
William Morrison likewise couldn’t secure a medal in the men’s shot put, ending up sixth with a best heave of 18.17 meters in his fifth out of six attempts.
“I need a coach. I have to find one when I go back to the States,’’ said Morrison, the 2022 SEA Games champion and shot put standard-bearer of 18.14m.
India’s Tajinderpal Singh Toor ruled the event in 20.23 meters followed by silver performer Mehdi Saberi of Iran (19.98) and bronze medalist Ivan Ivanov of Kazakhstan (19.87).