Shot putter Nieto sparkles

Nicolas Nieto of Ateneo de Manila High School, who comes from a family of basketball players, placed second in the men’s U20 shotput at the ICTSI Philippine Athletics Championships at the Philsports Complex in Pasig.

A relative of Philippine Basketball Association mainstays Mike and Matt Nieto, the 16-year-old thrower did 12.94 meters behin d his teammate and Palarong Pambansa gold medalist Airex Villanueva ruling the event with a 14.05 effort.

“They’re like my distant cousins. Super far. I don’t really think much of it,” Nieto said, shrugging off the connection between him and the dribblers.

“I don’t really know them. (But) I would like to meet them.”

Nieto also finished 14th in the U20 discus throw with 24.61 meters last Thursday.

He is now considering a move to University of the Philippines to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering.