Former Letran track and field standout Archand Bagsit made a dashing performance in the recent Intercity Athletics Championships in Hong Kong last June.
Bagsit notched the distinct gold medal in the 200m dash after accomplishing a phenomenal record of 21.71 seconds. It is Bagsit’s third international gold medal in the past four years after claiming two in the 27th Southeast Asian Games held in Myanmar last 2013.
Apart from his individual gain in the HK Open, the former Letran Squire turned trackster was also part of the quarter-mile quartet of the Philippine Athletics team that snatched the silver medal in the 4x100m run with a spectacular 39.96 seconds record.
The silver finish also broke the Philippine record of 40 seconds which was garnered in Iligan City during the 2017 National Open in the summer.
“Naka-break kami ng Philippine record sa pag-stay ko dito (Hong Kong) ng one month,” said Bagsit.
Prior to the HK stint, Bagsit and the national team also competed in the Thailand Open in early June where they claimed the gold medal in the men’s 4x400m relay. Despite Southeast Asian fierce rivals, the group was recognized as the powerhouse quartet in the invitational tournament.
The Philippine team was able to seize three gold medals, two silvers, and one bronze – a vast improvement from their previous record.
“Lagi naman kami naghahanda nang maayos para may magandang performance bawat laro
namin sa ibang bansa,” Bagsit said after winning back-to-back gold medals in both competitions this year.
Bagsit also joined the 2017 Ayala Philippine National Open Invitational Athletics Championships earlier this year before representing the country in the two invitationals.
However, being in the sport for almost a decade now seems like nearing its toll for Bagsit who has been representing the country since 2011. “Hindi ko din masasabi kasi tumatanda na ‘ko, gusto ko may backup plan din ako,” the 26-year old Financial Management graduate said regarding his future plans. “Pero hanggang masaya ako itutuloy ko pa,” he added.
Bagsit is expecting his fourth appearance in the SEA Games this year while the national athletics squad will also be participating in upcoming major competitions such as the Asian Athletics Championships in India and the World Championships in London.