Harvard University’s middle-distance runner Victoria Bossong delivered a promising performance at her debut in the 2024 ICTSI Philippine Athletics Championships in the Philippines.
The 21-year-old Fil-American prospect, who celebrated her birthday just before competing in the women’s 800-meter run in Pasig, showcased her potential and hinted at her future with the Philippine national team.
Despite clocking one of her slower times this season, Bossong secured the gold medal with a finish of 2 minutes and 9.56 seconds. Although this time was below her season’s best of 2:00.92, achieved at the Pepsi Florida Relays in late March, Bossong remained elated and proud of her first race in the Philippines.
“This is my first competition in the Philippines. I’m happy to come out with this win. This is a great day to be here,” said Bossong.
Bossong’s mother, a dentist with roots in Puerto Galera, Mindoro Oriental, expressed pride in her daughter’s accomplishments. Bossong is now preparing to head to Lexington, Kentucky, where she will compete in the NCAA Division I East Regional from May 22 to 25 as one of four Maine track and field athletes.
Ranked third in the women’s 800 meters in the East Division with her time of 2:00.92, Bossong aims to finish among the top 12 in her event to advance to the NCAA Championships, schedule d for June 5 to 8 in Eugene, Oregon.
“I want to bring pride and honor to the country. I think I did that. It’s definitely a glimpse of what I can do. I can run for two minutes flat. But this was not close to that. But it’s all part of the journey. It’s all part of the step,” Bossong commented on her performance.
To compete in the Philippines, Bossong skipped the finals of the 200-meter and 400-meter events at the 2024 Ivy League Heptagonal Outdoor Track & Field Championships, after topping the heats at Weaver Stadium in Princeton, New Jersey, over the weekend.
Standing at 5’6”, Bossong is among the 13 Filipino-heritage athletes brought to the Philippines by the FilAm Sports group of Bo Navarro. She hopes to join the Philippine national team for the Paris Olympics, a goal she plans to achieve once she obtains a Philippine passport and meets the Olympic entry standard in the women’s 800 meters.
Bossong has made significant strides in her performance, shaving nearly six seconds off her time since last year.
