“We’re ready.”
This was how Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association secretary-general Edward Kho described the readiness of the country’s 16-strong team to do battle in the centerpiece event of the Asian Games starting Friday at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Expo Center.
Spearheaded by World pole vault No. 2 EJ Obiena, the Nationals will go all out to snare the country’s first medal since Elma Muros-Posadas snatched a women’s long jump bronze in the 1994 Hiroshima Games.
Two-time Southeast Asian Games gold winner Kristina Knott will be the first to plunge into action as the Fil-Am sprinter from Orlando competes in the 100-meter dash Friday.
She is also scheduled to race in the 200m Sunday.
For Mr. Obiena, the Asian champion and record-holder, he will wade into battle Saturday in the event he is expected to dominate and end the country’s decades-long medal drought in the centerpiece event.
Robyn Brown, a World Championships veteran who struck gold in the women’s 400m hurdles in last July’s Asian Championships in Bangkok, Thailand, will go for gold in the same event Tuesday.
She will also be part of the women’s 4x400m relay squad also composed of Maureen Schrijvers, Lauren Hoffman and Angel Frank set Wednesday.
Other medal prospects seeing action are Eric Cray in the men’s 400m hurdles Monday, Janry Ubas in the long jump Saturday and John Christopher Tolentino in the 100m hurdles Sunday.
Also in the team are William Morrison (shot put), Sarah Dequinan (heptathlon), Ronnie Malipay (triple jump) and the men’s 4x400m relay team of Umajesty Williams, Michael del Prado, Joyme Sequita and Frederick Ramirez. — Joey Villar
