John Cabang Tolentino ran the 110m hurdles of Paris Olympics 2024 in 13.66 seconds before bowing ahead of the repechage due to injury. On Friday, he set a new SEA Games record and clinched the first athletics gold for the Philippines... in 13.66.
13.66 seconds.
That was the time Fil-Spanish John Cabang Tolentino clocked in during Heat 1 of the men's 110m hurdles in Paris Olympics 2024.
He was the sixth best hurdler in that heat, not enough to reach the semifinals. But he still had a chance to bounce back in the repechage.
Alas, it was not meant to be.
[ALSO READ: Paris 2024: John Cabang Tolentino experienced groin and hip pain prior to the men's 110m Hurdles repechage round]
Tolentino was warming up that morning but was unable to compete after experiencing pain in his left adductor and hip flexor.
His spot during the call-outs in Paris was notably empty.
Over a year later, he delivered the first athletics Southeast Asian Games 2025 gold for the Philippines.
His time? 13.66—a new SEA Games record.
It was 0.09 of a second faster than the closest competitor from Singapore.
"I had some wrong steps, but it didn't matter that much because I'm strong," Cabang Tolentino said.
"For me, it's an honor to raise the flag for the Philippines. I'm super happy, super happy."
"It has been a very, very bad year, rough," Cabang Tolentino admitted to Cignal after the run. He even had to skip several tournaments as he recovered from the muscle strain. "After that, we have been doing small steps, very very good preparations to this SEA Games."
"But now I'm ready for the Asian Games."
(With reports from Bea Escudero/Cignal)
Katrina Alba is a sports journalist and producer, notably with SportsCenter Philippines before taking on her current role at One Sports.
She primarily writes about basketball and volleyball, with experience covering the SEA Games, Asian Games, and the FIBA World Cup.
Outside of work, her hobbies include running, swimming, pickleball, yoga, arnis, and krav maga.