By Yako Colgante
CAPAS, Tarlac — Fil-German race walker Nathaniel Seiler made an unforgettable debut on the Philippine athletics scene, breaking a 31-year-old national record on Thursday in the ICTSI Philippine Athletics Championships presented by the Philippine Sports Commission at the New Clark Athletic Stadium.
Competing under favorable early-morning conditions, Seiler clocked 43 minutes and 33.38 seconds in the men's 10,000-meter race walk, erasing the long-standing mark of 44:22.08 set by Sonny Diaz during the 1995 Southeast Asian Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
The 30-year-old Baden-Baden native, who represented Germany in the 50-kilometer race walk at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, surpassed the previous record by nearly 54 seconds in the technically demanding event.
"I slowed down somewhat when I was way ahead of the Indonesian and could have gone faster had I known the record that I was running after," said Seiler, whose personal best stands at 41:45.
A discovery of former national race walker and coach Saturnino Salazar, Seiler arrived in the Philippines only last Saturday and had little time to adjust to the six-hour time difference.
"I was fortunate that my event was scheduled early in the morning," Seiler said. "If it had been in the evening, I might have been too sleepy to perform well."
Indonesia's Hendro settled for silver in 45:58.88, while Vincent Vianmar Dela Cruz of Spectrum Runners captured bronze.
Seiler's record-breaking performance highlighted another strong showing by overseas-based Filipino athletes competing in the meet backed by ICTSI Foundation, BCDA, New Clark City, CEL Logistics Inc., and UAAGI Auto Group Inc.
On Wednesday, Paris Olympian Lauren Hoffman, pole vaulter Eli Cole, and sprinter Jessica Laurance—all supported by FILAM Sports—also dominated their respective events.
Hoffman reclaimed the women's 400-meter hurdles title in convincing fashion, clocking 58.98 seconds. With chief rival Robyn Lauren Brown unavailable due to pregnancy, the former Duke University standout controlled the race from start to finish.
"Although I wasn't able to execute well enough, I am still happy with what I did," said Hoffman, who secured her third championship title in the event.
Cole, a bronze medalist at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, captured gold in the men's pole vault after clearing 5.25 meters. Following an early duel with decathlete Hokett Delos Santos, Cole was left alone in pursuit of a higher season-best mark.
In the women's 100 meters, Sydney-born Jessica Laurance successfully defended her title as the fastest woman in the meet, benefiting from the absence of injured national standouts Kristina Knott and Zion Corrales Nelson.
The 22-year-old Laurance edged a tightly contested final in 11.72 seconds, ahead of national teammate and University Athletic Association of the Philippines standout Lianne Pama of UST, who clocked 11.85 seconds. Malaysian sprinter Izzaful Mussfirah Azzirah finished third in 11.86.
Fil-American Drew Tumarak Hill likewise prevailed in a thrilling men's 100-meter final, winning in 10.46 seconds. Singapore's Marc Brian Louis took silver in 10.49, while Anfernee Lopena of KG Mercuries claimed bronze in 10.60.
Seiler's journey to representing the Philippines began in 2022 when he met Salazar during a vacation in the country. The veteran coach, a SEA Games bronze medalist and heart attack survivor, immediately saw potential in the German-based athlete.
"I asked him if he could compete for our country in 2022, and he even conducted a clinic to teach the fundamentals of race walking to promising athletes," Salazar recalled.
A former soldier-athlete in the German Army and an avid cycling enthusiast who follows the Tour de France, Seiler now has his sights set on the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, before pursuing qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Should he reach Los Angeles, Seiler would earn the distinction of representing two different countries in the Summer Games—a remarkable achievement in an already impressive international career.
