RP Int’l track and field starts

More than 1,000 athletes from 12 countries converge Country’s for the biggest track and field event as the 2002 Milo National Open first Gov. Sering Cup International Invitational kicks off today at the Rizal Memorial track oval.

The dual event, supported by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), pays tribute to the late Gov. Jose Sering, former Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president and founder of the Asian Amateur Athletics Association (4As , who passed away last Feb. 14.

"This is our way of saying thank you to our beloved mentor," said Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (PATAFA) chief Go Teng Kok, who was Sering’s personal choice to succeed him for the athletics post back in 1991.

The countries expected to join the dual meet are Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Indonesia, Sabah-Malaysia, Chinese-Taipei and Brunei.

Of these 11 countries, Go said the athletes from Thailand, Papua New Guinea and Sri Lanka are the ones expected to perform well in the four-day meet, which would pay tribute to Gov. Sering on May 3 at the Century Park Sheraton Hotel.

Leading the national bets, on the other hand, are national pool members and Southeast Asian Games gold medal winners Eduardo Buenavista, Lerma Bulauitan, Roy Vence, Cristabel Martes and brothers Fidel and Dandy Gallenero.

The said meet would be the basis for the local athletes’ performance for the Asiad in Busan, South Korea Sept. 29-Oct. 14.

"This annual event (National Open) is very important in our athletes’ preparation for the Asian Games, because any international competition, you can compare our local athletes to their foreign counterparts as far as time is concerned," added Go.

Local athletes, included or not in the national pool, who wins in the event will get an automatic slot for the third and final leg of Asian Amateur Athletics Association (4As) Grand Prix on May 26 also at the Rizal track oval.