Tabal prospect to sparkwinning drive in athletics

CAPAS, Tarlac , Philippines — Mary Joy Tabal sets in motion the Philippines’ golden bid, gunning for nothing but the gold medal in women’s marathon as the centerpiece athletics fire off today at the New Clark City Stadium here.

Tabal, 30, should be the runner to watch after she dominated this same event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia two years ago even though she expresses wariness against rivals from Vietnam and Thailand.

“We see our toughest challenge to come from Vietnam and Thailand but I’m ready for them,” said Tabal.

The national track and field association has initially projected a gold haul of a minimum of six and a maximum of 10 from the 73-member national team despite the absence of two-time 2017 SEAG gold medal winner Trentan Beram.

And Tabal is among the Phl brightest hopes.

Another one that should deliver the mint is 2020 Tokyo Olympics-bound EJ Obiena, who will compete in men’s pole vault at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow.

“The target remains six golds but if things go out well, maybe we can get 10,” said national team coach Jojo Posadas.

Olympian 400m hurdles star Eric Cray, sprinters Kristina Knott and Zion Corrales-Nelson, 800m run specialist Carter Lilly, another pole vaulter Natalie Uy and debuting shotputter William Morison, are all tipped to strike golds.

Triple jumper Harry Diones, the 4x100m mixed gender relay team of Cray, Knott, Corrales-Nelson, Anfernee Lopena and Clinton Bautista, the 4x400m squad of Joyme Sequita, Michael del Prado, Alejandro Alejon and Frederick Ramirez, javelin’s Melvin Calano and long-time long jump royalty Marestella Torres-Sunang are also prospects for the gold.

For the 38-year-old Sunang, she will give everything to win the gold in what could be her last hurrah in the biennial meet.

Aries Toledo, the decathlon gold medal winner in 2017, is nursing a muscle strain but isn’t giving up his chance of keeping his title as the strongest man in the region.