Janry Ubas claims gold in Thai meet

Janry Ubas TMT PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Janry Ubas' chase for a Paris Olympics berth got a huge boost as the Philippine bet claimed a gold medal at the Thailand Open Track and Field Championships men's long jump in Pathum Thani on Friday.

Ubas leaped a length of 7.51 meters to clinch the championship in the 19-man field competition.

The 30-year-old bested Taiwanese Wen Hua-Yu (7.41m) and Hong Kong's Wong Pak Hang (7.37m), who settled for the silver and bronze medals, respectively.

Ubas, however, still has a lot of catching up to do as he is currently 42nd in the men's long jump rankings where only the top 32 will progress to the Olympics.

He has until June 30 to crack the quota or ace the entry standard length of 8.27m.

Ubas submitted his season-best 7.83m in the National Championships in Pasig last May.

The Thailand Open Track and Field Championships is also where Filipino high jumper Leonard Grospe reset his personal and national record by leaping 2.21 meters.

Grospe bested the previous Philippine best of 2.20m that he himself established at the Philippine National Games last December to clinch a silver medal.

Grospe finished behind gold winner Taiwanese Ye Po-Ting (2.25m) and ahead of bronze medalist Thai Chatchai Nil (2.07m)

Meanwhile, another Philippine bet Melvin Calano captured a gold-medal in the men's javelin throw at the Cahya Mata Malaysian Open Championship.

Calano's throw covered a distance of 60.88m, defeating silver winner Elrick Roslee (59.74m) and bronze medalist Syed Abrar Bin Syed Ahmad Zawawi (56.03m).