CAPAS, Tarlac — Hussein Loraña narrowly missed resetting a national mark in ruling the men's 800-meter race while the KG Mercuries sprang out of nowhere to rule the men's 4x100-meter relay on the penultimae day of the ICTSI Philippine Athletic Championships presented by the Philippine Sports Commission Saturday night.

In another event-filled day at the New Clark City Athletic Stadium, the Bangkok Southeast Asian Games gold medalist came from behind in the last 100 meters to surge past erstwhile frontrunner Oyam Kent Espinosa in checking in at one minute and 48.39 seconds.

He was just .87 of a second off the seven-year-old national standard of 1:47.52 set by Fil-Am Carter Lilly in August 2019 at the Bryan Clay International in Azusa, California in the meet co-presented by BCDA and New Clark City.

It was the third men’s 800-meter title for the Season 86 University Athletic Association of the Philippines Most Valuable Player in the athletic showcase that has ICTSI Foundation as title sponsor.