Pinoy Olympic hopefuls lead cast of ICTSI Athletics Championship

FILIPINO Olympic hopefuls lead by Lauren Hoffman will spearhead a star-studded cast seeing action in the ICTSI Philippine Athletics Championships slated May 8 to 12 at the PhilSports oval in Pasig.

Ms. Hoffman, a 24-year-old Fil-Am hurdler who has recently eclipsed the 100m hurdles record, will be one of the many national team mainstays — all with a legitimate chance of making the Paris cut — who are scheduled to see action in the five-day meet that stakes Olympic ranking points from World Athletics.

Fil-Spanish John Cabang Tolentino, Asian champion Robyn Brown, and Southeast Asian Games gold medalists Eric Cray, Janry Ubas and Kristina Knott are also scheduled to compete with an eye of earning Olympic qualification points.

All five are eyeing to advance to Paris via meeting the Olympic standard or making the top 40 ranking.

If they end up making it, they will join pole-vaulter EJ Obiena, who skipping the event, gymnasts Carlos Yulo and Aleah Finnegan

“They will be present,” said Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association Jasper Tanhueco, who was accompanied by special assistant to the PATAFA President Reli de Leon and national coach Joeffrey Chua in yesterday’s PSA Forum at the Philippine Sports Commission’s Malate building.

Mr. De Leon said they are expecting around 700 participants from at least nine countries including Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand divided into three categories — elite open men and women, Under-20 boys and girls and Under-18 boys and girls — to participate.

“The National Open will be back at PhilSports for the first time since 2021,” said Mr. De Leon. — Joey Villar