PASIG CITY - Leonard Grospe reaffirmed his status as the country's premier male high jumper by clinching first place with a leap of 2.18 meters at the ICTSI Philippine Athletics Championships, held at PhilSports in Pasig City on Friday. Despite recent injuries, Grospe outperformed his competitors, including Pasig City's Kent Brian Celeste who secured second place with 2.11 meters and Ernie Calipay who took third with 2.09 meters.
According to Philippines News Agency, achieving this height was particularly gratifying as it met the silver medal standard for the upcoming Southeast Asian (SEA) Games. Grospe, who sustained an injury at the Singapore Open last month, demonstrated resilience by competing at a high level. "I feel very proud that I'm still at my peak. Even if my left ankle is painful, I was able to perform," said Grospe, who is also celebrated as a standout athlete from Mapua University.
Grospe holds the Philippine record in high jump at 2.20 meters, set at last year's Philippine National Games at the same venue, surpassing the 17-year-old record of 2.17 meters held by his coach, Sean Guevarra.
In the under-20 category, Airex Gabriel Villanueva of Ateneo de Manila University won the men's shot put with a throw of 14.05 meters, marking his second gold medal of the championships. He outthrew Nicolas Marco Nieto and Lander Josh Arban from Santa Rosa City, Laguna, who recorded throws of 12.94 meters and 12.55 meters, respectively. Villanueva, who also clinched gold in the discus throw with 42.96 meters on Thursday, expressed his gratitude for the victories, reflecting his extensive training under coach Miguel Luis Arca in Bacolod City.
Additionally, in the men's Open 100m, Hansen Yap Soon Fu from the Sabah Athletics Association sprinted to victory in 10.37 seconds, while Anfernee Lopena and Pengiran Aidil bin Hajam claimed silver and bronze respectively.
The championships, supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, also saw strong performances in the women's hammer throw, with competitors from Thailand and the Sabah Athletics Association taking the top spots.