They say the third time is the charm—and for Davao Eagles tracksters Marco Antonio Arela, Mechelle Ann Gonato, and Hannah Ashlei Regaya, that could not ring truer. After two consecutive Palarong Pambansa campaigns filled with near misses and quiet heartbreaks in Marikina and Cebu cities, the trio finally struck gold in their third outing, rising above past struggles to reach the top of the podium at the Ferdinand E. Marcos Memorial Stadium in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte.
Their journeys were not without stumbles, but each setback fueled a stronger finish. This year, perseverance paid off, turning disappointment into triumph and long-held dreams into coveted gold medals.
A walk to remember
For 18-year-old Arela, a recent graduate of Santo Tomas National High School (STNHS), winning the gold in the secondary boys’ 2,000-meter walkathon at the 2025 Palarong Pambansa was a long-awaited moment of redemption. He not only took the top spot but also shattered a seven-year national meet record Tuesday, May 27.
After earning bronze in 2023 and suffering a disqualification from what could have been a silver medal in 2024, Arela finally achieved his dream.
(I'm so happy, Ma'am—I finally got the gold in my last season at the Palaro. I've been dreaming of this for a long time. I'm very thankful to God for giving me strength)," he said in an interview with SunStar Davao Wednesday morning, May 28.
Arela clocked eight minutes and 44.91 seconds (8:44.91), demolishing the previous record of 9:33.01 set in 2018 by Francis James San Gabriel of the Ilocos Region. The race was a neck-and-neck battle, with Arela narrowly outpacing Jay Regencia of Zamboanga Peninsula Region, who settled for silver with a time of 8:46.44. Rain Mabelin (8:53.55) of Calabarzon Region completed the podium with bronze.
"Gold na gyud akong gina-isip sa sugod pa lang. May pressure ug kulba sa mga officials basin ma DQ ko usab (From the very start, I was thinking only about gold. There was pressure and nervousness, especially with the officials—I was afraid I might get disqualified again)," he admitted, grateful for his hard-fought victory.
Arela is the third of seven children in a family where his father drives a tricycle and his mother sells kakanin (local delicacies). Beyond the track, he is excited about a varsity scholarship offer from the University of Santo Tomas, which will ease the financial burden on his family. "Dako gyud og tabag nga mag-college ko nga dili na sila magbayad og tuition kay naglisod gyud mi financially, Ma'am (It’s a big help that I’ll be able to go to college without my parents having to pay tuition because we’re really struggling financially, Ma’am)," he said.
His dreams now soar higher: to become a UAAP champion as a University of Santo Tomas (UST) varsity scholar like his former teammate Lorenz Datiles, to join the national team, and ultimately, to compete as an Olympian.
Triumph through trials
Meanwhile, 16-year-old Mechelle Ann Gonato of Hagonoy National High School in Davao del Sur was battling nerves the night before the secondary girls’ triple jump finals on May 27. "Nakulbaan ko, di ko katulog tarong. Pagmata nako, gihuna-huna na gyud nako mu-gold gyud ko (I was nervous and I couldn’t sleep well. When I woke up, I was already thinking that I had to win gold)," she said in a SunStar Davao interview.
Her hard work paid off. Gonato soared to 11.58 meters, securing gold ahead of Rose Jean Barcelona of the Bicol Region (11.32m) and Junela Sanchez of Northern Mindanao (11.23m). This victory marked a dramatic turnaround from her tough Palaro experiences in 2023, when she competed in the high jump, and 2024, she was still learning the triple jump.
Much was on the line for Gonato. Winning gold was key to securing a scholarship, as her parents, Archer, a security guard at the Digos Water District, and Rhealiza, a neighbor's laundry woman, can no longer afford to support her college education starting in 2026. She also hopes to use her cash prize to help with her mother’s gallstone operation.
"Gusto gyud ko makatabang sa operasyon ni Mama (I really want to help with Mama’s operation)," she said, her voice cracking with emotion over the phone.
(This is the first time I’ve ever won a medal at the Palaro—and it’s gold! I’m happy, Ma’am, because I lost before, but now I’ve made a comeback)," she added. With another eligibility year left, she’s already looking ahead to defending her title next year in Agusan del Sur.
Gonato’s victory was built on daily sacrifices, especially when it came to travel. Living in Matanao, about an hour away from her school in Hagonoy, she often missed morning training sessions because buses didn’t start running until 6 a.m. On some days, she managed to hitch an earlier ride just to make it on time—but more often, she arrived late and had to face her coach’s frustration. After classes and another round of training, she usually got home by 8 p.m., tired but determined to keep going.
"Mabalaka akong family kay taga gabii nako makauli pero ampo lang gyud pirmi (My family worries because I come home late at night, but we just keep praying)," she shared.
With every jump, Gonato soared not just over distances, but over life’s toughest challenges.
Finally, a golden moment
Eighteen-year-old Hannah Ashlei Regaya, an incoming University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman freshman and varsity scholar, ended her final Palarong Pambansa run on a golden note—literally. She ruled the secondary girls’ shot put event with a winning throw of 11.33 meters, outclassing Calabarzon’s Daniela Colleen Andrada (11.00m) and Western Visayas’ Rani Dove Bermudo (10.88m).
The STNHS alumna, who first joined athletics as a grade school runner, finally saw her dream come true after finishing only in the top eight and just shy of the podium in her past two Palaro stints.
(God really showed me mercy)," she told SunStar Davao. "Sa akong pagpaningkamot nag ana gyud ko sa akong huna-huna kaya nako kuhaon ang gold. Dili kabayran akong kalipay kay last na gyud nako sa Palaro, karon pa gyud gihatag sa Ginoo (With all my hard work, I kept telling myself I could win the gold. My joy is beyond words—this was my last Palaro, and God finally granted it to me)," she said.
The only child of Marvin and Eva, both employees at Tadeco, Regaya couldn’t hold back her tears after her winning throw, especially as her coach, STNHS’ Beverly Villarino, pulled her in for a congratulatory embrace. She shared that after the Davraa Meet, she barely had time to rest before diving straight back into training—proof of her grit, and now, her glory. MLSA