By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Filipino-American Olympic hopefuls Kristina Knott and William Morrison are confident of making the 2020 Tokyo Olympics cut despite the coronavirus pandemic that derailed their preparations.
Knott and Morrison, who are in Florida and Indiana, said they will use the extra time to train and be ready for the Olympic qualification meet that was reset in June next year due to the global health crisis.
“I think I’m in pretty good shape to get that especially now that I have finished my studies and I have nothing to think about anymore,” said the 23-year-old Morrison in a video conference call hosted by the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association yesterday.
A student of Indiana University, Morrison needed to crack the Olympic standard of 21.10 meters in shot put.
He came close last February at the Meyo Invitational in Notre Dame, Indiana after heaving 20.21 meters that reset the national record and closed in on his personal best of 20.40 meters.
Like Morrison, the 24-year-old Knott said she’s also on track in the 200 meters. Knott’s current best time is 23.01 seconds, which reset the Philippine record at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games last year. Her feat inched closer to the Olympic standard of 22.80 seconds.
“Give me a couple of meets, I could have hit the qualifying time,” she said.
Knott currently trains on grass turfs as well as doing gym work to compensate for the lack of actual races. “The biggest thing is competition, I’m just tired of training,” she said.
Morrison said he is still waiting for training venues to open in Indiana. “I kept looking for some high school ovals to train but they are all closed, it’s frustrating. But I’m doing circuit training and in good physical condition,” he said.
