FILIPINO trail runners may have something to train harder for and look forward to with the International Trail Running Association and its 165 member associations pushing for the inclusion of the sport in the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games.
“ITRA, our member associations as well as the local trail running body in Brisbane, Australia is pushing hard to have the discipline included in the 2032 Olympics,” Philippine Trail Running Association vice president and secretary general Tin Ferrera said in the Philippines Sportswriters Association Forum yesterday at the PSC conference room in Manila.
Accompanied by national trail running team manager Gerald Tipones, Ferrera discussed the staging of the 1st Danao City International Ultra Trail serving as Philtra’s national championships set March 21 to 23 in Danao, Cebu.
Should it be included, Ferrera and Tipones said the prospect of a possible podium finish for Pinoy bets in trail running at the Brisbane Summer Games looks bright considering their recent track record in international play.
“The Philippines won five gold, eight silver and three bronze medals for the overall title when we hosted the Southeast Asian Trail Running Cup last year,” noted Ferrera in the public sports program backed by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, San Miguel Corp., Smart/PLDT, Milo and gaming app ArenaPlus.
Among the winners was John Ray Onifa, who ruled the men’s short trail (40-kilometer) event with young RomnickTongkaling, 19, winding up second and Mirar Goodwin third.
Larry Apolinario settled for the silver medal and Arnie Macaneras won the bronze in the men’s long trail (80-kilometer) event behind Thai JantaraboonKiangchaipaiphana.
Onifa also bagged the gold medal in the men’s short trail race in anchoring the country to overall runner-up honors in the 1st Asia Pacific Trail Running Championships in Ulju, South Korea last October, Tipones said.
Both cited the promising Tongkaling, who finished 10th in the 33-km race of the Hong Kong Ultra Marathon 100 last January.
“If he (Tongkaling) continues to improve, he could be one of our strong medal prospects in the 2032 Brisbane Olympics,” Tipones and Ferrera pointed out.
Both disclosed that Antique native Apolinario and Baguio-born Elizabeth Dangadang will be out to defend their men’s and women’s long trail titles in the lush slopes of Danao, which has rolled out the welcome mat for around 700 runners.
Onifa, who has already secured a national team slot, will opt to compete in the 100-km ultra marathon, Ferrera said, adding that those who make the grade would be trained to see action in the world mountain and trail running championships from Sept. 25 to 28 in the Pyrenees mountains in France.
