FIL-AM Lauren Hoffmann continued to fortify her Olympic drive yesterday (Saturday in the US), clocking 55.72 seconds for a new Philippine record in the women’s 400-meter hurdles while finishing a close second in the Drake Relays at the Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.
Running in lane 4, Hoffman was virtually neck-and-neck with American Deshae Wise until the final stride before settling for runner-up honors behind the former Texas A&M varsity ace, who clocked 55.52 seconds, while Jessica Wright finished just slightly behind in third place (55.78).
The Fil-Am Sports-backed Hoffman eclipsed her previous national mark of 56.39 seconds set when she ruled her pet event in the Hurricane Invitational meet in Coral Gables, Florida last month and inched closer to within a second less of the World Athletics Olympic entry standard of 54.85 seconds.
With her latest outing, Hoffmann will also move up the WA qualifying rankings where she is currently ranked No. 36. The top 40 at the cut-off date of July 7 will be eligible to compete in the Paris Olympics in July.
Local fans will be able to see Hoffman close when she sees action in the ICTSI Philippine Athletics Championships set May 8 to 12 at the Philsports track oval in Pasig City.
Compatriot Eric Shawn Cray, who is eyeing a return trip to the Olympics after representing the country in the 2016 Rio Games, failed to finish the men’s 400-meter hurdles race.
