By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
It would be a preview of the upcoming Southeast Asian Games as far as Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (Patafa) officials are concerned when they stage the ICTSI-National Athletics Championships on March 21 to 26 in Ilagan, Isabela.
Patafa secretary-general Edward Kho said some SEA members are sending their best bets in the weeklong competition that includes Malaysia, which will send the biggest foreign delegation with 30 athletes.
Vietnam will have 16 athletes, Thailand and Indonesia will send seven and Brunei will have six athletes.
“We’re expecting the level of competitiveness in the national championships to be noteworthy,” said Kho during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex Tuesday, March 14.
Kho, however, said Filipino participants would not be left undone as they expect Fil-heritage athletes with the likes of Kristina Knott, Kayla Richardson, Robyn Brown, Natalie Uy and Alyanna Nicolas to step up.
Richardson actually boasts of the gold medal in the previous SEAG held in Vietnam while Knott is the national record holder in the women’s 200 meters.
Local bets are also expected to shine that include Janry Ubas, Hockett Delos and Aries Toledo, to name a few.
Kho said the championships would serve as a gauge on the final formation of the national team that will compete in the SEAG happening on May 5 to 17 in Cambodia.
“This tournament comes a good six weeks before the SEAG, so it’s also a preparation for the athletes, yung pre-peak nila, para ma-modify what needs to be done,” said Kho, who was accompanied by national team coach Jojo Posadas and Reli De Leon, assistant to Patafa President Terry Capistrano.
A total of 800 athletes including 350 foreigners are expected to participate in the national open for 80 events in Open Elite, Under-20 and Under-18.
