AFTER two months of intensive training, national athletes gauge how far they have gotten on the road back to full fighting shape when they plunge into action in the Ayala Philippine Athletic Championships scheduled Dec. 16-17 at the Baguio Athletic Bowl in Baguio City.
“From the very start of the training camp we just told them just to perform and not to compete in the highest level because as we all know those two months is not really enough,” noted national coach Jeoffrey Chua yesterday in Philippine Sportswriters Association online forum.
“For now, ang expectation namin na sila maging very fit compared to the last time that they came in but based on what we see they just might exceed their coaches’ expectations,” said Chua, adding nearly 200 athletes from all over the country will take part in the two-day event also serving as national tryouts for the 31s Vietnam Southeast Asian Games and Hangzhou Asian Games next year.
Joining Chua in the meet supported by San Miguel Corp., Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., Amelie Hotel, Braska Restaurant and Milo were Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association President Philip Ella Juico and reigning Southeast Asian Games marathon queen Christine Hallasgo.
Juico echoed the sentiments of Chua, stressing: “What is important for me is that we raise the athletes’ morale, to show that as a National Sports Association we really care for them, and we are committed to their welfare and their progress.
“I am happy more because of their effect on their morale. We can work on their skills and their performance later. The good performance is just a bonus. That’s the gravy.”
Chua said that even veteran athletes such as former Southeast Asian long jump queen Marestella Torres-Sunang and sprinter Kat Santos were excited to be back in harness during the training camp after being inactive for nearly two years. “Parang freshman muli sila Marestella and Kat kasi matagal din na walang training ang national team,” he said.
Originally based in Bukidnon, Hallasgo, who will compete in the women’s 10,000-meter run, was grateful to join the national team training camp in Baguio and cited the marked improvement in her form since she and the national athletes started their actual workouts in mid-October.
“Nagpapasalamat kami kay sir Popoy (Juico’s nickname) na nakapag-training kami dito sa Baguio. Malaking bagay po siya. Kasi nakukuha ko na ngayon ‘yung mga target times ko sa workout before the 2019 SEA Games maski two months pa lang kami dito,” she noted.
“Pagkatapos dahil nga sa high altitude, mas madali kami makapag-recover sa aming workout. Kaunting pahinga lang nakakabalik na kami sa ensayo kaagad,” said Hallasgo, who is being coached by former national 3,000m steeplechase champion and marathon king Eduardo Buenavista.
