by Nick Giongco
Fil-Am speedster Eric Cray will spearhead a solid 15-member team to the Asian Athletics championships that gets going Sunday at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar.
Patafa chief Philip Juico said Cray, the defending champion in the 400-m hurdles, will be joined by the likes of Kristina Knott (200 meters), EJ Obiena (pole vault) and a 4×100 crew spiked by Cray.
The next few months will be used to prepare the Filipino athletes for the hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games from Nov. 30-Dec. 11 at the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.
The Doha trackfest will be the lone event the Philippines is competing in for the month as they spend the rest of May in training camp here and overseas.
By June the events will start pouring in with meets taking place in China and Vietnam and other locales.
Cray and Knott are going directly to Doha from the US while Obiena, who has spent his days training in Italy, will be heading there from Chula Vista in California.
“We are looking at strong performances from Cray, being the defending champion, Knott, Obiena and the 4×100 team,” Juico said.
The Olongapo-born Cray, 30, is the most bemedalled since he is a four-time gold medalist in the Southeast Asian Games.
