Obiena, Knott lead crack Asian Athletics PH crew

Ernest John Obiena of the Philippines reacts during the men’s pole vault event during the annual ISTAF Berlin Internationales Stadionfest track and field athletics meeting at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin on September 4, 2022. (Photo by Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP)

Pole vault star Ernest John Obiena and sprint ace Kristina Marie Knott will lead the Philippine track and field contingent at the upcoming Asian Indoor Athletics Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Obiena could easily break the existing record and go for gold on a good day, but the continental indoor meet is mostly a reflection of how other national athletics squads will perform in Southeast Asia (SEA). Games and Asian Games this year.

SEA Games shot put champion William Morrison III will join the 17 athletes during the February 10 to 12 tournament, where five-time regional 400m gold medalist Eric Cray and Knott, the Southeast Asian 200m record holder. has entered.

A piece of action

Former SEA Games heptathlon champion Sarah Dequinan, pole vault silver medalist Hokett delos Santos, triple jumper Mark Harry Diones, long jumper Janry Ubas and women’s pole vaulter Natalie Uy will also get a piece of the action. the idea that they belong to the league of big hitters,” said Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association secretary general Edward Kho.

But during indoor competitions, some of these trackers will race shorter routes or play fewer events than usual.

Knott enters the women’s 60m, Dequinan will compete in the pentathlon while Cray has three events-60m, 400m and 4x400m relay with Michael Carlo del Prado and Edwin Giron Jr., who will aim for a medal in. 800m men.

Find a gentleman

Ubas, who saw action in the men’s decathlon, will suit up in the heptathlon.

“They will face similar competitors at the Asian Games,” Kho said.

Joining the three-day track meet Leonard Grospe (high jump), Mariano Masano (800m), Jelly Dianne Paragile (60-m hurdles), Alexie Mae Caimoso (pentathlon) and Melissa Escoton (60m hurdles). the Philippine-Spanish hurdler John Tolentino Branch will be tested against the best Asian after emerging with better clocking than Clinton Bautista, the current SEA Games 110-m hurdles champion who owns the national record of 13.78 seconds.

“John came to our weekly relay last November 19 and raced in the 110-m hurdles. He can run faster than Clinton Bautista’s personal best,” Kho said.

After snaring five gold medals at the Vietnam SEA Games last year, Kho said he will aim for more in the Cambodian edition coming from May 5 to 17.

He said the SEA Games athletics list will be finalized after the national open from March 22 to 26, which will be the final qualifying stage. INQ

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