Marestella assured of Rio berth

MANILA, Philippines - Whether she meets the Olympic qualifying standard in the coming months or not, 35-year-old long jump queen Marestella Torres-Sunang is guaranteed of her third straight Olympics stint in Rio.

This after the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association’s nomination of Torres-Sunang for a universality slot was officially accepted by the technical delegates of the International Associations of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

Torres-Sunang will thus join Fil-Am Eric Cray, a direct qualifier in the 400-meter hurdles, and match the feats of Simeon Toribio and Hector Begeo as the only three-time Olympian among Pinoy tracksters.

“To ensure participation of a Filipino female athlete, the Patafa took the step of requesting the acceptance by the IAAF of Torres-Sunang under the principle of universality should she not meet the July 11, 2016 deadline of achieving the Olympic qualifying standard,” said Patafa president Philip Ella Juico.

The Patafa received the news of Sunang-Torres’ acceptance in a communication sent by IAAF Competition Department Senior Manager Carlo de Angeli over the weekend.

“Cray’s and Torres-Sunang’s participation in the Olympics will be officially announced by the IAAF on July 12,” said Juico.

The Olympic-qualifying mark in women’s long jump is set at 6.70 meters and Torres-Sunang, according to Juico is “very close to qualifying based on her most recent performances.”

Last month, she leapt 6.60 meters at the Ayala Philippine National Open and had a 6.40-meter effort in the Singapore Open over the weekend. Torres-Sunang will have three more shots at qualifying on her own in the Masters competition of the Singapore Open, the Taipei Open from May 19-20 and the Hong Kong Intercity Athletics Challenge in June.

The Patafa chief also expressed confidence a third man – pole vaulter EJ Obiena – will make it to Rio.

Hot prospect Obiena reset the Phl record once more with his 5.55-meter performance in the Singapore Open over the weekend, putting him six inches shy of the qualifying standard of 5.70-m.

Obiena will try to hit it in the Busan (Korea) Pole Vault Competitions from May 13 - 14; the 2016 Taipei Open from May 19 to 20 and the Hong Kong Intercity Athletics Challenge June. 

“Should Obiena make it to the Olympics, it will mark the first time in decades that athletics will have three competitors in the world’s biggest sports festival,” said Juico.