UE’s Jennyrose Rosales sets new PH record in UAAP track meet

MANILA, Philippines – Jennyrose Rosales of the University of the East surpassed Lydia de Vega’s 32-year-old Philippine record in the 400 meters in the morning heats of the Universities Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) track and field meet at La Salle Dasmariñas.

Rosales, 19, from Talisay, Batangas, clocked 54.63 as she benefitted from a trailing wind in the first 100 meters. But she had enough momentum to successfully battle the head winds in the last 100 to time 54.65.

De  Vega’s old Philippine record was 54.75 during the 1981 Southeast Asian Games where she and Isidro del Prado powered the Gintong Alay-led national team to seven gold medals. Included in that haul was another golden victory in the 200 meters.

“I didn’t expect this. My coach told me that if l felt good, I should run as fast as I can. I had momentum in the first 100 so I ran relaxed and then in the last 100 meters, I had to run against the wind,” said Rosales in a phone interview.

In the finals of the 400 meters held in the afternoon, Rosales won in 56.03 seconds as UE took the top three places. Second was Neslee Angco in 576.62 and Carmela Leonardo with 58.14.

Rosales, who stands 5-1, is the second of 10 children of a construction worker and a housewife in Talisay, Batangas. She said her father also does other types of work to earn the family’s keep.

Tournament officials have yet to announce formally Rosales’ new record, which shaded her own UAAP mark of 56.01 done last year.

“I expect the record to be ratified by the PATAFA (Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association). She ran well. The wind is not a factor in the 400 (unlike the 100 and 200 meters),” said tournament referee Claro Pellosis, a former Asian Games 4×100 meter relay gold medalist.

On Sunday, the last day of the event, Rosales will run the 400-meter hurdles. 

Rosales had won the 100 in 12.10 and the 200 in 24.47 in the UAAP meet which began on Thursday and ended Sunday. It is only the second fastest for the year since the fastest marks in these two events belong to a young Fil-Am sprinter who failed to make the national team for the Southeast Asian Games.  

“I didn’t expect her to challenge the record this early. But she got everything together and ran well with her rolling stride,” said Jojo Posadas, head coach of the UE team, said in a phone interview. 

Rosales had set a personal best of 55.87 in the 400 meters last September 3 and making a run for the hallowed national mark was a matter of time. – Rappler.com