EXPECT records to tumble as the ICTSI Philippines Athletics Championships unfolds on May 1 for the first time at the world-class New Clark City Athletic Stadium in Capas, Tarlac.
“Like we saw in the UAAP and NCAA athletics meets that were held there, we expect records to fall in the ICTSI Philippine Athletics Championships in May because the NCC is a world-class facility,” national coach Dario de Rosas said yesterday during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the PSC conference room in Malate.
His sentiment was shared by fellow national coach Geoffrey Chua and the Philippine Racing Commission and Philippine Athletics Track and Field executive assistant Reli de Leon in the public sports program backed by San Miguel Corporation, Philippine Sports Commission. Philippine Olympic Committee, Milo, Smart/PLDT, and the country’s 24/7 sports app ArenaPlus.
“The ICTSI Athletics Championships will have around 800 top athletes from six countries, including Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore, so we expect it to be a showcase of the best,” De Leon said.
“Besides the actual track, we also have a good warm-up track outside the NCC so the athletes can prepare well before they can actually compete,” De Rosas said.
Chua emphasized that the track meet, also known as the National Open, will serve as a qualifying process for national athletes to the 33rd Thailand Southeast Asian Games in December and junior athletes who will take part in the 3rd Asian Youth Games in Manama, Bahrain in October.
He said that this is why foreign-based athletes led by Paris Olympic Games veterans John Cabang Tolentino, Lauren Hoffman, Tokyo Olympian Kristina Knott, former Asian women’s 400-meter hurdles champion Robyn Brown and back-to-back Southeast Asian Games men’s shot put gold medalist Willie Morrison are coming over.
Chua disclosed that since the competition is sanctioned by World Athletics, “ranking international points for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September are also up for grabs, which is why foreign athletes are coming over to join the tournament.”
Other US-based athletes vying in the meet are pole vaultersAlyanna Nicolas and Eli Cole, middle-distance runner Angel Frank, and long-distance runner YacineGuermali, who are backed by FILAM Sports.
He said that among the local athletes to watch out for is walk racer Carlos de Imus, who set a new national record in placing ninth in the 20,000-meter race in the Asian Walking Championships in Nomi, Japan last month, and up and coming standouts, BatangPinoy National Championships gold medalist and discus thrower Jewel Trangia, and javelin thrower Ana BhiancaEspenilla.
“Both Jewel and Ana are no longer eligible to compete in the Under-18 because they are overaged, but they will now see action in the senior category. However, their performances will be registered in the Under-20 category,” the coach said.
De Leon said that to protect the health and well-being of the participating athletes and coaches, “we will have early morning events in the long distances until 9 a.m., while the other events will be from 2 to 9 p.m., where there will be enough shade.”
