IN A dominant display of athleticism, the Ateneo Track and Field (ATF) Team raked in multiple medals at the 2024 Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) Weekly Relay Series Finals. The meet was held on October 19 and 26, which featured nine Blue Eagles participating at the PhilSports Athletics Stadium in Pasig City.
With the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 Athletics Tournament inching closer, the Blue and White were determined to add some hardware under their belt in the oval.
Discus Throw
After showcasing consistent feats of power throughout the tournament, Airex Gabriel Villanueva and Russel Je Ricaforte started Schedule A of the two-day Finals by securing runner-up spots for Loyola Heights in the 1.75-kilogram discus throw.
Bacolod native Villanueva, who holds the Palarong Pambansa record for the event, carried over his high school dominance to the collegiate field with a throw of 40.76 meters to cop the silver medal in the under-20 (U20) division.
The newly-recruited Ricaforte also did not fall far behind in continuing his reign. The former National Collegiate Athletic Association champion with the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA claimed bronze after covering a 44.60-meter distance.
100m
Meanwhile, accomplished rookie Krisha Aguillon represented the Blue and White as the lone Atenean representative in the 100m event. The former three-peat Palarong Pambansa champion dashed to a 12.73-second finish, clinching third in her heat and sixth overall in the contest.
4x100m Relay
In the U20 relay event, guest athletes John Tumangan, Lorence Beron, and Adrian Magsino represented the Blue and White along with Blue Eagle rookie Chonel Okolo. The Katipunan quartet took the track with 43.71 seconds, landing them first in their heat and a bronze-medal finish overall behind the Manila-based National University and Adamson University.
Hammer Throw
Building off the momentum from the PATAFA Qualifiers, the two homegrown rookies, Jose Andro Costelo and Mantosh Hansra, drew displays of strength as they suited up for the 6-kilogram event. Setting a personal best, Costelo brought home the bronze medal for the Blue Eagles with a 40.63-meter throw.
Hansra closely followed with an impressive 33.83-meter toss that bagged him fourth overall in the event.
Shot Put
After a notable stint from the triumphant Blue Eagles on day one of the Finals, today’s supposed array of track and field events for day two narrowed down to the 6-kilogram shot put.
As the lone competitor donning the Blue and White for Schedule B, Villanueva embraced the spotlight against eight other finalists. With a 14.24-meter throw, the mighty rookie stamped his prodigious legacy, topping the event’s U20 division and closing the ATF’s 2024 preseason campaign with a gold medal.
With the PATAFA Finals coming to an end, the Blue Eagles look ahead toward the UAAP Athletics Championships in November at the New Clark City Athletics Stadium in Capas, Tarlac.
