Mark Dave Nicolas, an 18-year-old track athlete from Ilocos Norte who set a national record at the 2025 Palarong Pambansa, died on April 29 at a hospital in Batac.
The Adamson University student had shown early promise under the guidance of former Ilocos Norte governor Michael Keon. He won gold in the boys’ 800 meters at the 2025 Palarong Pambansa with a time of 1:53.20, establishing a new national record. He later earned silver at the 14th ASEAN School Games in Brunei.
Nicolas was admitted to the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center after experiencing worsening pain that started from what he thought was a small boil on his leg. He died there on April 29. The hospital has not released an official cause of death.
His passing has left the province searching for answers about the sudden loss of a rising athlete once seen as a potential successor to Olympic swimmer Teofilo Yldefonso.
