By Kristel Satumbaga
The Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (PATAFA) is sending elite athletes to high-caliber tournaments prior to the 30th Southeast Asian Games that the country is hosting late November.
PATAFA chief Philip Ella Juico said they eye the Asian Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar where 63 nations are slated to participate, followed by the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) World Relays on May 12 to 13 in Yokohama, Japan and the IAAF World Championships on Sept. 27 to Oct. 6 also in Doha.
The association also plans to send junior athletes in the Asian Youth Athletics Championships on March 13 to 15 in Hong Kong.
“This is a big year for athletics and we are hoping to send our most prepared athletes in these competitions,” said Juico.
Juico added they are using the National Open set March 6 to 8 to determine the athletes deserving to be sent in these senior competitions, although he is already targeting elite athletes such as pole vaulter EJ Obiena and tracksters Eric Cray and Trenten Beram as possible candidates.
The Southeast Asian Youth Championships that the country is also hosting on March 2 to 3 will also be their gauge for the PH-bound team in the Asian Youth event.
“The SEA Youth, for instance, is a preview of what we can do and what other teams are doing, so it’s a great opportunity for us,” Juico said.
