John Cabang Tolentino, who is seeking Olympic qualification in the men’s 110-meter hurdles, broke the men’s indoor 60-meter national hurdles’ record for the second time in a row as he settled for a bronze medal in the ongoing 11th Asian Indoor Athletics Championships in Aftab Enghelab Sport Complex, Tehran.
The 22-year-old Tolentino checked in at 7.64 seconds for third place in the finals on Saturday (Sunday in Manila).
On Jan. 13, the Spain-based Tolentino showed the good shape he was in when he eclipsed the Philippine record in the Euskadi Indoor meet in San Sebastian. He won the gold medal in 7.73 seconds, a time which went below the 7.86-second clocking Eric Cray set in the Cherry and Silver meet in Albuquerque back in 2014.
“John’s impressive time of 7.64 has not only earned him a medal, but also set the new Philippine Indoor Record (pending ratification) in 60m hurdles,” said Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association secretary general Jasper Tanhueco.
Earlier, Southeast Asian Games long jump champion and record holder Janry Ubas finished fifth in the finals.
Ubas, who is seeking ranking points that will qualify him for the Paris Olympics, leaped to 7.60 meters, way behind the 7.97m of gold medalist Mingkun Zhang of China.
Japanese leapers Yuto Toriumi and Daiki Oda grabbed the silver and bronze with 7.89m and 7.76m, respectively.
As for Tolentino, he is within the quota ranking of possible Olympic qualifiers in the men’s 110-meter hurdles.
After being at no. 31 in Olympic quota rankings last month, Cabang dropped to no. 37 this month.
World Athletics will pick the possible 40, who can make the cut to the Paris Games in the men’s 110-meter hurdles and Tolentino remains in contention after joining more competitions to go with his Southeast Asian Games and Asian Games stints.
For Tolentino to make it to the Paris, he has to stay within the quota ranking of 40 until July, or hit the entry standard of 13.27 seconds in the 110-m hurdles.