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SEA Games: PH athletics team cops another gold in men's relay

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Photo by Rhea Soco-Neis" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/sports/05/12/05122023-ph-athletic-team-cops-another-gold-in-men-relay.jpg"/><figcaption>Photo by Rhea Soco-Neis</figcaption></figure></div>(UPDATED) The Philippine men&#x27;s athletic team added to the country&#x27;s gold medal count by winning the men&#x27;s 4x400m relay in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games.The team composed of Frederick Ramirez, Joyme Sequita, Michael del Prado, and Umajesty Williams managed to pull through against their Thai counterparts to win the gold.The Filipinos crossed the finish line in 3:07.22, a hair&#x27;s breadth ahead of Thailand who made a late push and clocked 3:07.23.Suiting up in his first and biggest multi-nation competition ever, the 23-year-old Williams held the fort as the team’s last runner and had enough gas in the tank to fend of a fast-charging Thawatchai Khongjeam. “I knew he was coming, I know my competition, he’s a very strong athlete. I knew I wasn’t get away with it easily. But I’m happy and blessed, that we won the gold for the Philippines,” said Williams.The Philippines last won the 4x400 in the Myanmar SEA Games, with Isidro del Prado Jr., son of athletic icon Isidro Sr., spearheading the team.Half an hour earlier, the Philippine women’s 4x400 squad, led by Robyn Brown and Maureen Schrijvers, settled for the silver at 3:37.70 behind a Vietnamese team, bannered by Thi Anh Thuc Hoang.The most surprising result, however, came in the women’s javelin throw, where a 16-year-old Palarong Pambansa standout in Gennah Malapitan, led a 2-3 finish for the Filipinos.The 5’9” Malapitan, who joined the SEA Games to gain experience, ended up bagging the silver as she hurled the spear to a stunning 49.55 meters, four meters better than her personal best, and some three behind the 52.6 of Thailand’s Jariya Wichaidit, last year’s silver medalist.Veteran Evalyn Palabrica made 48.31 meters for the bronze.Meanwhile, Kristina Knott, who finished 4th in the women&#x27;s 200-meters on Monday, did not start the 100-m finals, due to a hamstring injury.&quot;Her coaches may have decided not to take the risk, malapit na kasi ang Asian championships,&quot; said national team coach Jojo Posadas of the 27-year-old Knott, the 200-meter queen in 2019.<div>For more stories on the 32nd Southeast Asian Games, click <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/seagames2023">here</a>.</div>

The Philippine men's athletic team added to the country's gold medal count by winning the men's 4x400m relay in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games.