JOHN Cabang Tolentino appeared to be safe, Lauren Hoffman remained in the running while the country’s other Olympic track and field hopefuls might not make the grade based on the World Athletics qualifying ratings released last Wednesday.
Spain-based Tolentino dipped slightly to No. 29 but was still within the top 40 qualifiers in the men’s 110-meter hurdles while Hoffman, who had been hobbled by a heel injury, was No. 36 in the women’s 400-meter hurdles with 40 spots available.
But teammates Robyn Brown and Eric Cray were on the outside looking in, both at No. 47 in the 400-meter hurdles with three days to go before the Olympic qualifying period ends on Sunday.
Tokyo Olympian Kristina Knott was at a precarious No. 48 while at No. 44 was long jumper Janry Ubas, who needs to land among the top 32 in the event and has a now-or-never chance in the Silk Road to Olympic meet opening tomorrow in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Once the Olympic window closes on Sunday, the world track and field body will announce its official list on July 7.
The country now has 20 Paris-bound athletes, with professional golfers Bianca Pagdanganan and Dottie the latest to join the elite list of standard bearers as the country celebrates its centennial participation in the modern Olympics next month.
Sprinter David Nepomuceno was the first Filipino to set foot in the modern Olympics in the birthplace of its founder, Baron Pierre de Coubertin. Nepomuceno ran in the men’s 100 and 200-meter dash but failed to enter the finals of both events.
