Pole vaulter EJ Obiena hopefully won’t be flying to Paris Olympics alone.
The Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association is confident that at least four more tracksters will earn tickets to join Obienna in the Summer Games slated to begin on 26 July.
Hopes are high for long jumper Janry Ubas and hurdlers John Cabang, Robyn Brown and Lauren Hoffman to book Olympic spots.
“We have identified the most probable qualifiers after EJ. Janry Ubas, John Cabang, Lauren Hoffman and Robyn Brown,” PATAFA secretary general Edward Kho told DAILY TRIBUNE.
With the qualification and ranking period ending on 30 June, the Filipino tracksters will have to work hard to either hit their respective qualifying standards or rack up as many points as possible to make it into the rankings.
The men’s long jump has a qualifying standard of 8.27 m while the 110-m hurdles event has a 13.27 seconds cutoff. A qualifying time of 54.85 seconds is set in the women’s 400-m hurdles.
“Their fellow competitors around the world won’t be sleeping so the goal is to pile up points as many as possible. We always request financial assistance from the PSC but if the approval cannot be given on time, PATAFA will cover the expenses in the meantime,” Kho said.
Obiena booked a spot in the Summer Games after hitting the qualifying standard of 5.82 meters in Sweden last July.
Kho said PATAFA is encouraging its hopefuls to join as many tournaments as possible to boost their respective bids and enter the Paris Games via the rankings.
Ubas, Cabang, Hoffman and Brown are currently listed as “In World Rankings quota” and could stay there should they continue to participate in World Athletics-sanctioned events. A tournament is set in Australia in February.
“We’re still waiting for the organizers since they’re controlling the quality of the competition,” Kho said.
