Inocencia Solis (Athletics)
Inocencia Solis (2nd Hall of Fame Awards Enshrine) is the 1998 Distinguished Filipino Woman Achiever in Sports Philippine Centennial Celebration.
She is the 1958 PSA Sports Athlete of the Year.
- Gold medal: 1962 Jakarta Asian Games 4X100m
- Gold medal: 1958 Tokyo Asian Games 100m
- Silver medal: 1958 Tokyo Asian Games 4X100m
- Bronze medal: 1954 Manila Asian Games 200m
- Silver medal: 1961 Malacca International Athletic Meet 100m
- Silver medal: 1961 Malacca International Athletic Meet 200m
Born to farmer parents Victorio and Leonarda, Inocencia Solis was raised in the small village of Bolalacao, in New Lucena, Iloilo.
With the dream of becoming a teacher, Solis pursued an education at New Lucena Elementary School and Santa Barbara High School, where she excelled as a top student and joined several athletic competitions.
At just 18 years old, Inocencia won three gold medals and marked national records in 100m (12.4s), 200m (26.8s), and long jump events at the National Inter-Scholastic Athletic Association Meet (NISSA) in 1950.
In 1954, the Iloilo-native took bigger strides at the biggest stage, joining the national team at the 2nd Asian Games in Manila with thousands of Filipinos cheering inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
Solis eclipsed a new national record in the 200m (26.2s) and won the bronze medal honors and another in the 4x100m together with sprinters, Roberta Anore, Rogelia Ferrer, and Manolito Cinco.
The 5’2” Solis redeemed herself big-time when she won back-to-back gold medal finishes in the 100m event at the 1958 and 1962 Asiad, placing her name in the elite class of sprinters in Asia.
She held the national record in the 100m for 12 years, 200m for 15 years, and long jump record for seven years.
In 1998, she was bestowed the Distinguished Filipino Woman Achiever in Sports award by former President Ramos during the Philippine Centennial Celebration and was inducted into the second batch of enshrinees of the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame in 2016.
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