THE ATENEO Track and Field Team (ATF) kicked off their preseason stint at the 2025 Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) Weekly Relay Series in resounding fashion, copping impressive placements throughout the throwing events.
The first three weeks of the tournament’s qualifiers were held throughout the month of July at the PhilSports Athletics Stadium in Pasig City.
Discus throw – July 5
In an emphatic display of strength, the Blue Eagles returned to the field with stellar performances in the discus throw event. Team Captain Russel Ricaforte highlighted Ateneo’s collective showing, as the “Man with the Golden Arm” soared with a massive throw of 51.92 meters.
This mark both exceeded the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games silver qualifying standard of 51.89 meters and surpassed the skipper’s own collegiate record of 47.80m, easily slotting him as the top-ranked qualifier thus far. Moreover, Ricaforte’s attempt was mere centimeters away from breaking the national record of 52.10 meters established by Fidel Repizo during the 1991 SEA Games.
Meanwhile, incoming rookie Denver Tacay Jr. put up a noteworthy performance of his own in the under-20 division, finishing in second with a distance of 41.68 meters.
Shot put – July 19
Continuing their strong start from the opening week of competition, the Atenean throwers came up with promising results during the tourney’s third week.
Ricaforte shone anew, ranking second at 13.61 meters behind Philippine national team athlete Ed Delina. Following closely were sophomores Airex Villanueva with a throw of 12.09 meters and Jose Andro Costelo at a mark of 9.59 meters, placing sixth and eleventh, respectively.
Hammer throw – July 19
Rounding out the throwing events for the Loyola Heights-based squad were the sophomore duo of Costelo and Mantosh Hansra, who competed in the hammer throw event.
Battling through rainy weather conditions, Costelo finished in third place at 35.83 meters in the seniors division while Hansra ranked second overall in the under-20 category, throwing a distance of 33.88m.
With resounding marks all across the board, the Blue Eagles have shown their potential throughout the first month of the PATAFA qualifiers, foretelling a promising season ahead in the collegiate ranks.
The ATF is set to participate in two more months of qualification events in hopes of reaching the PATAFA finals in October. On the other hand, multiple athletes are also looking to utilize the tilt as a chance to qualify for the national team at the upcoming 2025 SEA Games in Thailand.
With this week’s qualifiers postponed due to severe weather, the Blue and White will return to the fabled Pasig venue on August 2 to continue their preseason stint.
