CAPAS, Tarlac - Fil-Am runner Yacine Guermali made the most of his one and only event early Wednesday morning, June 10, ruling the men's 5000-meter race handily to kick off the ICTSI Philippine Athletic Championships presented by the Philippine Sports Commission at the New Clark City Athletic Stadium here.

With barely three days to prepare after arriving in Manila last from the US last Sunday, Guermali took the early lead and never looked back in running away with the gold in a time of 14 minutes and 15.34 seconds to top the event for the third time in a row.

National teammate Sonny Wagdos was a distant second (14:45.59) while Alfrence Braza (14:58.06) of Spectrum Runners took third in the meet organized by Philippine Athletics and also supported by CEL Logistics and United Asia Automotive Group.

Former Southeast Asian Games long jump gold medalist Janry Ubas jumped a season best 7.61 meters on his first try to retain his title for the seventh consecutive time while heir apparent and national teammate Francis Kent Jardin took the silver on his last attempt at 7.41 to finish 1-2 in the event of the competition likewise backed by the BCDA and New Clark City.

A women's heptathlon bronze medalist in the last 33rd Thailand Southeast Asian Games, Sarah Dequinan hurled the spear to a distance of 45.59 meters in bagging the women javelin throw gold before tranferring to her pet event later.

Ilocos Norte's Arianna Dawn Rabi hurled the iron ball 10.89 meters and FEU's Anna Bianca Espenilla threw the spear 45.96 meters in ruling the women's Under-18 shot put and Under-20 javelin throw, respectively, in the only other early final events of the meet backed by Pocari Sweat, Clark Water and Energya.

"I was not really going for my record in the 5,000, but I think made by best performance in the event since 2024 so I am glad," Guermali, a 33rd Thailand Southeast Asian Games, said and whose national mark is 13.33.43 set at the Virginia Challenge in Charlottesville, Virginia last April 18.

Despite the short time to adjust to the race, he disclosed that he felt no jet lag "since I think I have gotten better at adjusting to the travel racing and racing in Asia for a good amount of time.'"

A former Gonzaga University varsity standout, the athlete said that the ultimate goal was preparing and achieving a podium finish in the 20th Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Japan in September before deciding whether he want to run in the 5,000 or his other pet event, the 1,500-meter run.

"It all depends on the way how my body is doing because I am also good in the 1,500. The two events are similar, but the Asian competition is very strong," Guermali said. "Whether we go all in on one or compete in two events, we'll see."

Ubas, who holds the national record of 8.08 meters set in the long jump of the men's decathlon of the 2023 Cambodia Southeast Asian Games, said he was happy for jumping a season best in keeping his title.

"Nakuha ko yung season best sa first jump kaya masaya ako kasi naka 6.40 lang ako sa huling talon ko sa Singapore," the Army Private First Class said.

Then he pointed to Jardin, who also runs the 100 and 200-meter sprints, as his likely successor in the event where he has ruled the roost for nearly a decade.

"Ang sabi ko kay Jardin na siya na ang papalit sa akin," said the Villanueva, Misamis Oriental native. "Yung speed niya mas mabilis sa akin. Talo pa ako nito sa training."

Hailing from Calinog, Iloilo, Jardin, 22, said he was glad that he had Ubas as his mentor and hoped to be as good as him someday.

"Nuong 2023 na-encourage ako sa kanya kaya ang sinabi ko na pag-aaralan ko yung technique niya. Kaya ito ako ngayon," said Calino, who set a personal best in bagging silver in the long jump.