PUERTO PRINCESA, Palawan -- Pi Durden Wangkay and Samantha Martinez crowned themselves as the fastest runners in the 2024 Batang Pinoy Championships after ruling the under-16 boys and girls 100 meters at the RVM Sports Complex here.

Wangkay, a 15-year-old standout from the City of Biñan, clocked 10.88 seconds to edge out City of Calamba’s Joel Platon (11.38sec) and South Cotabato’s Philip James Gestosani (11.43sec) to surprise the field -- even himself.

“Sobrang sarap sa feeling kasi 100 meters isn't my best suit sa lahat ng events ko. So far, I think ito yung most shocking moment ko sa mga track events ko,” said the De La Salle Zobel student, who also ruled the 200m and 400m the previous days.

Wangkay’s performance, who shattered his personal-best 11.09sec set at the Philippine U18 Championships in Pasig just last May, was actually faster than the U18 meet record of 11.30sec set by Alfredo Pineda last year.

It was also faster than the 11.08sec of Quezon City’s Elreb Taduran, who won the gold in the U18 division this year.

Like Wangkay, Martinez shared the limelight by timing 12.60sec to win the U16 distaff side ahead of Sorsogon’s Rose Jane Barcelona (12.70sec) and City of Cebu’s Ken Amber Tutor (13.01sec).