THANKS to the Philippine Sports Commission, locally-based national track and field athletes will be back at their old stomping grounds at the Philsports Complex in Pasig City on Nov. 28, capping their two-month training with the National Open on Dec. 9 and 10 at the facility’s newly-renovated track oval.
Athletics chief Philip Ella Juico disclosed this welcome development yesterday after a two-year absence of competition for the athletes, who last saw action in the 30th Southeast Asian Games at the New Clark City Athletic Stadium in Capas, Tarlac in 2019.
The Pinoy campaigners were major contributors to the country’s successful overall campaign in the regional games, winding up a strong third in the eight-nation SEA Games athletic competitions with 11 gold, eight silver and eight bronze medals.
“The PSC offered us this opportunity so we quickly grabbed it,” said Juico, whose wards have been training at the Baguio Athletic Bowl since early October with the approval of the Baguio city government and funded by the government sports agency.
“The morale of the national team in Baguio remains high, although the coaches observed that some of athletes who reported there looked undernourished. Now that they have had the proper nutrition and the food they need, they tell me everyone is looking much better,” Juico said.
A total of 36 athletes and 11 coaches led by national training director Renato Unso will check in at their old quarters at the Philsports Complex on Nov. 28, according to Juico.
“They will be there for about a week to acclimatize then we will have the National Open on Dec. 9 and 10,” he said. “Both their quarters and the track oval are ready. Their entry will be closely monitored by PSC personnel, especially its medical staff.”
The athletes will be joined by promising youth pole vaulter Hokett delos Santos, who has been training in Cavite with national coach Emerson Obiena.
Juico said they have also invited sprinters Karen Janario and Baguio-based Kat Santos, who is also a long jumper “because we’re trying to rebuilt the 4×100-meter women’s relay squad.”
