Two Philippine national records fell on Sunday after Fil-American bets Lauren Hoffman and Yacine Guermali saw action in the Carolina Challenge at the South Carolina Indoor Track and Field Complex in Columbia, South Carolina.
The 24-year-old Hoffman, who is seeking a chance to qualify in the Paris Olympics, ran the 600-meter finals in one minute and 30.31 seconds, more than six seconds ahead of the old national mark of 1:36.93 of Daniela Quintero, who set the record in the On Your Marks meet in Sta. Barbara, California, back in 2020.
Hoffman, who is from Haymarket, Virginia, went on finish second place behind Duke University Lauren Tolbert (1:30.29), ahead of Dutch runner Madison Mulder (1:30.36).
The 24-year-old Guermali was fifth in the men’s 1000-meter run, but with a record-breaking finish of 2:27.20.
Guermali, a graduate of Gonzaga University in Washington State, eclipsed the 2:46.55 clocking of Jesson Cid back in the 2014 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Game in Hangzhou.
Jake Toomey of North Carolina State, took the gold medal in 2:24.21, with Andrew Schroff (2:24.66) and Ryan Chevalier (2:25.61) behind in second and third, respectively.
Earlier, Hoffman also took part in the women’s 200-meter, and bagged the silver in the finals in 24.60 seconds, with Abby Geiser taking in the gold in 24.59 seconds, and Pebbles Scott placing third (24.33).
Elijah Cole leapt to a height of 52.26 meters for the silver in the men’s pole vault invitationals.
The effort of the 25-year-old Cole saw him getting behind Keon Howe, who won the gold in 5.46 meters, ahead of Parker Samuelson (4.76 meters).