MANILA, 10 May — Roll out the red-carpet for Lerma Bulauitan — today’s new queen on the track.
The 27-year-old Bulauitan captured the two gold medals in the Governor Jose Sering Invitational Track and Field Memorial Cup that all but reaffirmed her lofty billing as the heir apparent to the throne of track and field queen Elma Muros-Posadas.
She reigned supreme in the long jump before crowning herself as the fastest woman in the sportsfest as she, once and for all, proved that she’s, indeed, up to the task of filling in the void left by the now retired Muros-Posadas.
Bulauitan, a veteran of the Sydney Olympics, has long been considered the successor to Muros-Posadas — her tutor who retired at the start of the year — but many have been trying very hard to stake their claims to the throne.
But, this time, Bulauitan moved out of the shadow of Muros-Posadas. Clearly, she drew a collective nods of approval from the mammoth crowd at the Rizal Stadium that she rightfully owns the distinction. That she’s, indeed, the new track queen.
The pride of Penafrancia in Cagayan Valley bagged the long jump gold medal in thrilling fashion. She needed a stirring sixth and last attempt of 6.46 meters to survive fellow national team mainstay Marestella Torres in a thrilling encounter. With Torres leading the way with 6.40 meters going into the final try, Bulauitan unleashed a decisive jump to overcome her closest rival.
Bulauitan duplicated Kuala Lumpur Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Phan Thi Thu Lan’s performance while eclipsing her personal best of 6.43, a performance that earned her the silver medal. However, she failed to shatter the current national mark of 6.56 recorded in the 1997 edition of this same event in Pangasinan by Muros-Posadas.
Lack of sufficient warm-up notwithstanding, Bulauitan proved to be unbeatable in this event held in memory of the late Governor Jose Sering, former Philippine Olympic Committee president, ex-head of the athletics association and founding member of the Asian Amateur Athletics Association. Sering died of heart attack last Feb. 14.
"I wanted to break the Philippine record but I wasn’t able to warm up well," said Bulauitan.
With her gold-winning performance in her pet long jump, Bulauitan — who carries the colors of the Philippine Army — cemented her place on the national team to the Busan Asian Games in September.
"I am hopeful that before the Asian Games or in the Asian Games I will be able to set a new record," said Bulauitan.
The way she performed, it was crystal-clear that Bulauitan wanted to send a message — that she truly deserved a berth to Busan.
Then came her second gold.
Bulauitan zoomed to the 100 meter dash gold medal as she stole the thunder from the 2001 SEA Games Thai silver medal winner to crown herself the fastest woman of the trackfest.
Rightly so, Bulauitan’s victory proved to be a sweet revenge.
She got back at the Thai sprinter who denied her a silver medal in the last SEA Games. Bucking strong winds in the venue, she outsprinted Thailand’s Orranut Klomdee in a toe-to-toe confrontation between the two medalists of the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games.
Clad in silver-colored, body-hugger track that matched her long polished nails, Bulauitan bucked a bad start and a stiff shoulder to edge Klomdee in a thrilling, down-the-wire finish
"When I saw her making her move, I just dashed to the finish line," said Bulauitan. "I’m on track for the Asian Games, and I didn’t let my countrymen down by losing to her again."
The hometown favorite touched the finish line at 11.86 seconds, just a hairline ahead of Klomdee’s 11.91. Sri Lanka’s Chaturangi came in third with 12.34.
Bulauitan, who competed in the Sydney Olympics not in her favorite long jump but in the century dash, said she was satisfied with her performance in the centerpiece women’s event despite the fact her clocking was off her personal best of 11.74
"I’m already satisfied with my performance since there’s just little difference with my personal best," she said.
Actually, Bulauitan did not come out of the starting block like a bull released from the pen, saying she felt a tightness in her shoulders.
"My shoulders suddenly felt tight and that was the reason why I had a not-so-good start," said Bulauitan whose attempt to reset a new mark was compounded by the wind.
"I had some difficulty because the winds were strong," said Bulauitan in her failed bid to get near the 11.28 mark made by former track superstar Lydia de Vega-Mercado during the 1987 Jakarta SEA Games.
"Lerma’s personal best is 11.74 so I have mixed feelings with her victory. She still has some hard training to do before the Asian Games in Busan, Korea and I’ll see to it that she gets it,’’ said Go Teng Kok of the organizing Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association.
Interestingly, heirs to the throne of Muros-Posadas came to the fore.
In fact, Muros personally acknowledged one of them when she gifted South Cotabato’s 17-year-old Maricel Sibog her neon green spikes that she wore when she bagged the 2001 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games long jump gold, which capped her long sterling career.
"I know that my contribution to track and field won’t be complete until I found a worthy successor," said the 36-year-old Muros, who now works as coach of the University of the East.
The 5-foot-6 Sibog, who bears Muros’ signature form in the long jump runway with arms outstretched and legs flung forward, won the gold in the girls’ long jump and the silver in the triple jump to catch Muros’ attention.
But she’s not the only one who attempted to replace the legend. Julie Rose Forbes, 18, captured two gold medals — both in national juniors record-breaking fashion — in 100m hurdles and 400m hurdles, which are two of Muros’ favorite events.
Forbes, who hails from Pitogo, Quezon, easily became the finest discovery of the meet.
"If you measure the meet’s success by the number of records fallen, then I could very well say that this is a successful event," said Go.
"From the performances of my national team to the new discoveries from the provinces, I’m very satisfied."
He said that athletes like Eduardo Buenavista, John Lozada and Lerma Bulauitan are following a regimen that would help them peak by the Asian Games.
"So it’s understandable that they didn’t break any records," said Go. "But they are making progress according to their programs."
Lozada snatched his second gold medal by winning the 1,500m in three minutes, 57.69 seconds, which is within the 1998 Asian Games winning mark of 3:51.
