3-day Ayala Patafa Invitational: Cray, Stuart banner stellar athletics field

MANILA, Philippines – Rio Olympics-bound Eric Cray and Southeast Asian Games record-holder Caleb Stuart banner close to 1,000 local and foreign tracksters competing in the Ayala Philippine National Open-Invitational Athletics Championships on April 7-9 at PhilSports in Pasig.

Hurdler Cray is set to compete in the 100-meter and 400m hurdles as he continues to fine-tune aspects of his game preparatory to his Olympic debut while reconnecting with Filipino countrymen in the three-day meet featuring bets from seven countries in the elite, juniors, and masters levels.

Stuart, who ripped the hammer throw mark in the Singapore SEAG, is slated to see action in his pet event as he tries to improve his personal best in an effort to meet the qualifying standard in the Olympiad.

National team mainstays like SEAG steeplechase titlist Christopher Ulboc, Olympian long jumper Marestella Torres, Olympic pole-vault hopeful EJ Obiena, and Fil-Am long jumper Donovant Arriola, are determined to put up a good showing for the hometown bets who expect stiff competition from rivals from South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Guam, Brunei and Mongolia.

Among the notables in the foreign cast are Koreans Lee Gyu Hyeong and Kim So Yeon and Singaporean Shanti Pereira in the sprints and Malaysians Muhd Mat Hasan, Rayzam Wan Sofian and Raja Azshar in the hurdles.

“We expect it to be very competitive,” Patafa president Philip Ella Juico said when he graced yesterday’s PSA Forum along with secretary general Nonoy Unso, athletes Stuart and Ulboc and sponsors Judith Staples of Asics Watch and L Time Studio and Robert de Vera of Milo Sports.

The trackfest will hold its competitions from 6-10 a.m. and 4-8 p.m., taking a break during the hottest times of the day.

“The conditions during actual competition are kinder and this should lead to a better competition and possibly more record breakers. In addition, our national athletes have been preparing very hard for this not only because of the Olympics and but also in preparation for succeeding competitions like the 2017 SEAG, 2018 Asian Games, 2019 SEA Games in Manila, and 2020 Olympics,” said Juico.

Stuart and Ulboc intends to use the trackfest to boost their stocks.

“I want to lower my team or at least match my personal best,” said Ulboc, referring to the 8:26 he posted in the Singapore Open. He is some 25 seconds off the Olympic standard 8:30.

“I’ve been training hard all season and I’m confident I’ll be able to perform well for the country and my teammates,” said Stuart, whose personal mark stands at 68.66 meters, a good nine meters short of the Olympic standard.

Juico said this year’s edition is “unique” because it marks the forging of a long-term partnership between Patafa and Ayala Corporation. Likewise, Unso said the meet gives as much importance to the juniors and masters competitions.