The Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (Patafa) will be holding a series of performance trials as part of its selection process for the national team bound for the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam this May.
The first tournament is scheduled Wednesday and Thursday at the Baguio Athletic Bowl for multi-events such as decathlon and heptathlon, as well as individual events like pole vault, high jump and 3000-meter steeplechase.
Next would be a one-day meet on Sunday at the Imus Sports Center in Cavite for long jump, triple jump and track events like 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and 5000m.
Another tournament is also in the works at the Philsports Complex in Pasig City.
“Our local-based athletes haven’t been able to compete outside the region because of the pandemic. Since they cannot compete outside, we’re bringing the competition to them,” said Patafa chief Philip Juico in Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Online Forum.
National training director Renato Unso said they are expecting around 150 athletes at each venue to participate in the invitationals.
They are also in touch with Fil-foreign athletes based abroad on their training and individual performances as the PH team seeks to improve its previous medal haul at the 2019 SEAG with 11 gold, eight silver and eight bronze medals.
Unso said they are expecting to send around 30 athletes to compete in 47 events in the Hanoi SEAG.