The Philippine athletics team awaits the completion of the repairs being made at the Rizal Memorial Track and Football Stadium so that they can begin training for the 2011 Southeast Asian Games. "We are now in the conditioning phase. Hopefully, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) can finish the track oval already after March for the national team," said national team coach Joseph Sy in Friday’s SCOOP forum.
The Rizal Memorial oval’s football field is still closed and the national athletes’ training, especially for the field events, has yet to start.
This early, the Philippine athletics team targets at least four gold medals in the 2011 Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) in Indonesia.
Sy said that he predicts that the Philippines will again figure strongly in women’s long jump, hammer throw, steeplechase and men’s marathon—events that also accounted for four of the seven gold medals in the Laos SEA Games.
When asked about the conservative prediction, Sy said: "We also expect that other countries will improve."
Long jumper and Olympian Marestella Torres, hammer thrower Arniel Ferrera, steeplechaser Rene Herrera and marathoner Eduardo Buenavista won gold medals in the 2009 Laos tilt along with Danilo Fresnido and Rosie Villarito (javelin throw), and Jho-an Banayag (women’s marathon).
Aside from the SEA Games, the Philippine team is also gearing up for the Asian Athletics Championship in Japan in July and the World Championships in Athletics the following month.
Sy said that the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (PATAFA) is hoping to find new talents for the national team when they hold various national events such as an inter-club meet in April, the National Open in May, PATAFA weekly relays in June and an intercollegiate meet in December.
"We will be scouting new players from all over the Philippines," Sy said.
Reuben Terrado, JVP, KY, GMANews.TV
