Go vows track rebound - SPORTING CHANCE by Joaquin M. Henson

Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (PATAFA) President Go Teng Kok can’t wait for the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Kuala Lumpur this September. He’s shooting for redemption — the chance to prove himself. And Go’s confident his track stars will deliver the goods for the country.

At the last SEA Games in Brunei two years ago, the track squad was a big disappointment, bringing back a single gold — courtesy of ageless veteran Elma Muros-Posadas in long jump. Posadas, who turns 34 on Sunday, isn’t sure to compete in Kuala Lumpur but remains on Go’s national pool of 26. If she shows up in K.L., Posadas will be performing in her ninth consecutive SEA Games — an incredible record of longevity.

In Brunei, Filipino tracksters also bagged six silvers and five bronzes. Claiming silvers were Posadas (heptathlon), John Lozada (800 and 1,500-meter runs), Emerson Obiena (pole vault), Eduardo Buenavista (3,000-meter steeplechase), and Joebert Delicano (long jump). Bronzes were pocketed by Buenavista (5,000-meter run), Fidel Gallenero (decathlon), Lerma Balauitan (long jump), Sean Guevara (high jump), and the 4x400-meter relay team of Lozada, Gallenero, Aing Jimar, and Ernie Candelario.

Last year, Go decided to reduce the athletes in the PATAFA pool to 26. The year before, the pool listed 31 athletes. A PATAFA source said there were over 60 athletes when Go became President in 1991.

Cutting back on athletes in the PATAFA pool was a deliberate effort on Go’s part. His emphasis is focus. Instead of allocating large sums for several athletes in regular monthly allowances, Go says he’d rather use the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) subsidy to concentrate on sending a select group to as many international competitions as possible. Exposure to quality opposition and conditions abroad is crucial in developing future champions. Go is optimistic the rifle — not the shotgun — approach will reap dividends in Kuala Lumpur.

However, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Celso Dayrit disagrees with Go’s thinking. "I’m not sure if that’s the right thing to do," recently said Dayrit, referring to Go’s reduction of the PATAFA pool. "No question, we should be austere in these hard times but track and field is where we shouldn’t scrimp because it’s a mass-based sport. Remember, in the SEA Games, there are 44 gold medals at stake in athletics."

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Go, 56, says he’s got the talent to make a run for the roses in K.L. He promises no less than seven golds from his pool and isn’t counting on Posadas to contribute.

Go says his bold prediction is based on the performance of seven crack stars in various track meets last year. He’s pinning his hopes on Balauitan (gold medalist in long jump at the Thailand and Malaysia Open), Percela Molina (gold medalist in heptathlon at the Thailand Open), Roselyn Hamero (gold medalist in discus throw at the Thailand and Malaysia Open), Lozada (gold medalist in the 1,500-meter run at the Thailand Open and in the 800-meter run at the Taipei Meet and Malaysia Open), Buenavista (gold medalist in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Thailand and Malaysia Open and in the 5,000-meter run at the Thailand Open, Taipei Meet, and Malaysia Open), Jimar (gold medalist in the 200-meter and 400-meter dash at the Taipei Meet), Christabel Martes (gold medalist in the 10,000-meter run at the Taipei Meet and Milo Marathon winner), Geralyn Amandoron (gold medalist in javelin throw at the Malaysia Open), and Allan Ballester (Milo Marathon winner).

In the PATAFA pool, the "oldtimers" are Posadas, 33, Obiena, 36, and marathoner Roy Vence, 34. They’re the only athletes over 30 years old. On the other end of the spectrum are three teenagers — long jumper Maristella Torres, 19, sprinter Chantal Balani, 18, and long jumper Henry Dagmit, 19.

The average age of the athletes in the pool is 24.6 years – indicating a balanced mix of youth and experience.

Listed in the coaching staff are Isidro del Prado (head coach — 400 meters), Dario de Rosas (assistant head coach — combined events and throwing), George Noel Posadas (coach — sprints, hurdles and jumps), Mario Castro (coach — long distance and marathon), Romeo Gido (coach — middle distance), and Alexander Ligtas (coach—jumps).

The complete roster: Elma Muros Posadas, 33, Lerma Balauitan, 26, Percela Molina, 24, Maristella Torres, 19, Christabel Martes, 21, Mitchel Martinez, 24, Roselyn Hamero, 21, Geralyn Amandoron, 22, Chantal Balani, 18, Narcisa Atienza, 21, Aing Jimar, 22, Fidel Gallenero, 27, John Lozada, 27, Eduardo Buenavista, 21, Ernie Candelario, 27, Joebert Delicano, 20, Emerson Obiena, 36, Sean Guevara, 24, Nixon Mas, 29, Abdul Rahim, 25, Crisanto Canillo, Jr., 24, Daud Mama, 28, Henry Dagmit, 19, Allan Ballester, 26, Roy Vence, 34, and Raphie Pilaspilas, 24.

Go says he’s serving out his last term as PATAFA President and isn’t running for reelection. In Jakarta last July, he was voted one of four Vice Presidents of the 4-As (Asian Amateur Athletics Association) and outpolled three contenders, including a prince from Saudi Arabia.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating. In Kuala Lumpur, the proof of Go’s pudding will be in the winning.