ACE pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena and National Open triple gold medalist Robyn Lauren Brown banner the 16-man national track and field team that will see action in the 26th Asian Athletics Championships from May 27 to 31 in Gumi, South Korea.
Obiena, who set a continental record of 5.91 meters in the 2023 edition in Bangkok, Thailand, and the in-form Brown, the reigning 400-meter hurdles queen, will defend their titles in the South Korean city known as the country’s industrial hub.
Paris Olympic Games veterans Lauren Hoffman and John Cabang Tolentino, also a gold medalist in the recent ICTSI Philippine Athletics Championships, popularly known as the National Open, are on the elite list of the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association, their stint backed by the Philippine Sports Commission.
Hoffman, who took runner-up honors behind Brown in the women’s 400-meter hurdles at the National Open at the New Clark City Center in Capas, Tarlac, will seek a better finish in the event of the Asian competition that serves as a key qualifier for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, in September.
Debuting in the Asian meet like Hoffman, Tolentino is eyeing a podium finish in the men’s 110-meter hurdles, similar to Fil-Ams, sprinter Kristina Knott and thrower Willie Morrison, the 100 and 200-meter sprints and shot put, respectively.
Likewise aiming to make an impact in the blue-ribbon competition is Yacine Gourmali, who is gunning for a slot in the world championships in the men’s 5,000-meter run and possibly could race in the 1,500-meter event as well.
The country’s premier 400-meter runners, Frederick Ramirez and Bernalyn Bejoy, are also on the roster and will get the much-needed overseas exposure against top-caliber athletes as part of Patafa’s intensive build-up for the 33rd Thailand Southeast Asian Games in December.
Promising walkathoner Carlos de Imus, looming as a potential gold medal contender in the Thailand SEA Games, has also been included and hopes to gauge himself among the best on the continent in the men’s 20,000-meter walk race kicking off meet hostilities on May 27 at the 35,000-seat Gumi Civic Stadium.
Pole vaulter-decathlete Hokett delos Santos, high jumper Leonard Grospe, 800-meter racer Hussein, 400-meter runner Kharis Pantonial, the youngest member of the national team at 18; triple jumper Ronnie Malipay and discus thrower Daniella Daynata are also competing in the Asian meet.
