Long jumper Janry Ubas wins at Thailand Open Track and Field Championship

MANILA, Philippines – Janry Ubas is proving that last week’s performance trial is no fluke as the Iron Man of the UAAP cleared 7.78 meters to win the long jump in the Thailand Open Track and Field Championship in Bangkok on Monday, June 12.

The FEU ace from Cagayan de Oro leapt 10 centimeters less than his feat at the Philsports Arena, which surpassed the winning jump in the 2015 Southeast Asian Games. But Ubas’ win established him as a big threat to defending champion Supanara Sukhavasti of Thailand, who won with 7.75 two years ago.

Patrick Unso took third behind a Korean and a Thai with a time of 13.91 seconds in the 110m hurdles. Whether this time will stand and thus break the national mark of 14.12 seconds will have to wait overnight as the timing is being reviewed.

But Unso’s third place was a big boost to equal his third place two years ago in the SEA Games as he spent most of 2016 injured.

Ubas and Unso’s performances is certain to boost the stock of American coaching consultant Roshanan Griffin, whose 5-day-a-week, sprint-laden training has jumpstarted the sprinters, jumpers, and hurdlers.

Griffin came in after the National Open in Ilagan, Isabela in April. Three weeks later, Francis Medina clocked 51.30 in the 400-meter hurdles, winning the Singapore Open. 

“The sprinting drills give them the explosiveness needed for their events,” said Griffin in an interview with Rappler.com in late April.

However, two dark clouds shaped up. Khariul Hafiz Jantan of Malaysia, who is the 2016 Asian Junior champion, clocked 10.31 to win the 100 meters. His seemingly effortless win could pose a threat to Eric Cray of the Philippines who won the SEA Games century with a mark of 10.25.

Le Tu Chinh of Vietnam won the women’s 100 with a time of 11.47, surpassing the 11.76 winning time of the Philippines’ Kayla Richardson in the 2015 SEA Games. – Rappler.com