MANILA, Philippines – Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association president Philip Ella Juico is looking at two or three more Filipinos joining pole-vaulter EJ Obiena in next year’s 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Juico said Fil-Am sprinter Kristina Knott has the strongest chance of emerging the country’s next Tokyo qualifier since her gold medal-sealing clocking of 23.01 seconds in the 30th Southeast Asian Games at the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac early this month is the closest to the Olympic standard time of 22.80.
The 24-year-old Knott’s time also shattered both the SEAG and national records.
The other two Juico mentioned with having a realistic chance of making the cut are Eric Cray and William Morrison, who reigned supreme in the men’s 400m hurdles and shot put, respectively.
“I think we have a chance of qualifying three more athletes to Tokyo,” Juico told The STAR recently. “Of the three, Knott has the best chance since her best time is the closest to the Olympic standard and she looks like she still has a lot to give.”
Truly, Knott, track and field’s most bemedaled athlete with also a gold to show in the 4x100m mixed gender relay and a silver in the century dash, vowed to train hard to snare a spot in the quadrennial summer games.
“I’m going to train somewhere next year and get that Olympic spot,” said Knott, whose parents are from Imus, Cavite, before she headed back to the United States a couple of weeks ago.
Juico and his national track and field team was one of the host country’s biggest gold producers in the biennial meet after scooping up 11 gold, eight silver and eight bronze medals, the biggest haul since raking in an 11-11-8 harvest during the fabled Gintong Alay Days 36 years ago in Singapore.
“Hopefully, Cray and Morrison can make it too,” he said.
If none among Knott, Cray and Morrison can breach the standard, the country can avail of one more berth based on the Universality Places, which allows each country with no male or female qualified athlete or relay team to allow their best ranked male or female athletic in one athletic event.
And since Obiena had already claimed a spot to Tokyo, Juico can choose one female, which could go to either Knott or Christine Hallasgos, who had a shock win in women’s marathon by stunning the favorites including teammate, 2017 SEAG winner Mary Joy Tabal.
“They’re both deserving,” said Juico.