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(Caption: Maureen Schrijvers proudly display her two gold medals won in National Open)
BAGUIO CITY — Commercial model Maureen Schrijvers found her way back into the national women’s team and as she snared her second gold medal on Friday at the conclusion of the Ayala Philippine Athletics Championships, also known as the National Open, at the Baguio Athletic Bowl here.
The 26-year-old Schrijvers took home her second crown at the end of the two-day meet after finishing ahead of Karen Janario in 26.03 seconds in the women’s 200-meter dash.
Schrijvers, who made a big comeback in 2019 by helping Team Philippines win two bronze medals in the women’s 4×400 m relays and the mixed event of the Southeast Asian Games on Thursday took the 400-meter honors in 58.53 seconds.
She was among four tracksters, who earned two gold medals after Baguio City fave Katherine Khay Santos first did it with Clinton Kingsley Bautista and Bernalyn Bejoy.
“I’m super happy. Kasi, two months na kami sa Baguio City nagte-training. Before, I was just doing home workouts,” said Schrijvers, who laid low from competition in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines trackfests after suffering from a hamstring injury.
It was a long journey for Schrijvers, a Belgian-Chinese-Filipino student-athlete, who burst into the collegiate athletic scene after winning medals during the 2012 Palarong Pambansa in Lingayen.
“I’m super happy na nakapag-perform ako. At least above average,” said Schrijvers, who has been dabbling in commercial modelling before graduating as a Pyschology student at De La Salle University.
Schrijvers, who last appeared in a telecommunications commercial before heading to the City of Pines two months ago, surpassed the 26.5-second qualifying time in the 200-meters set by the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association for her to able to stay as a member of the national squad.
She also eclipsed the 60-second qualifying in the 400-meters.
Bejoy, a student at DLSU-Manila, also kept her national team slot in bagging two golds, first in the women’s 800-meter, and then in the 400-meter run.
The 20-year-old Bejoy finished the women’s 400-meter run in 1:02.66, well within the 65-second qualification time. And she also met the 2:30.00 cut in the 800-meters in 2:15.99.
“I’m okay. I have found my rhythm. I’m no longer hesitating when I’m getting close to the hurdles,” said Bejoy.
Twenty-two participants have so far hit the qualifying standard the PATAFA set for qualification to the national team.
Bautista, the reigning SEA Games 110-meter champion, earned qualification in his pet event and in the men’s 100-meter run.
Santos earlier met the qualifying standards set for those who wish to earn slots for the national team in the women’s long jump and in the 100-meter dash on Thursday.
SEA Games marathon queen Christine Hallasgo also rejoined the national squad with her 38:22.54 clocking in the 10,000 meter run, which has a qualifying time of 44:59. So did newbies Junel Gobotia (men’s 3000-meter steeplechase), Frederick Ramirez and Edgardo Alejan in the men’s 400-meter run, Melissa Escoton in women’s 100-m hurdles and Melvin Calano (men’s javelin throw).
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