FILIPINO hurdler Eric Cray and long jumper Janry Ubas eye Olympic qualification as they spearhead the country’s campaign in the Asian Athletics Championships scheduled Wednesday to Saturday at the Supachalasai National Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Mr. Cray, an eight-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist, is aiming to compete in the Olympics one final time as he goes for the Olympic standard of 48.70 seconds in the 400-meter hurdles.
“He (Mr. Cray) is 49.53 now and has one full year to make the Olympic standard,” Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association secretary-general and executive director Edward Kho told The STAR.
For Mr. Ubas, he’s eyeing to breach the 8.27m cut or gain ranking points and ascend to the higher echelon of the sport through participation in sanctioned meets.
The country had already World No. 3 pole-vaulter EJ Obiena qualified to the Paris Games after making the 5.82m cut in the Wanda Diamond League’s Bauhaus Galan in Stockholm, Sweden last week.
And there are high hopes Messrs, Cray and Ubas will follow suit.
Also part of the 23-strong national team to Bangkok and seeking Olympic berths were sprinter Kristina Knott, hurdler John Cabang Tolentino, and shot-putter William Morrison. Mr. Obiena is also entered and is expected to deliver the gold. — Joey Villar
