With the presence of the reigning world champion from Qatar and six Asian champions from Kazakhstan to Sri Lanka, expect a lot of fireworks when the 15th Asian Amateur Athletics Championships is held Sept. 20 to 23 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.
Shaheen Said Saeed of Qatar, who won the 3,000-m steeplechase gold in the Paris World Championships last month, will definitely draw much of the attention when he competes in two events, including the 1,500-m steeplechase.
For winning the gold in Paris, Saeed has become a big hero and an instant millionaire back home. He was awarded a $1 million cash incentive by the Qatari government and will receive $1,000 for the rest of his life.
Eduardo "Vertek" Buenavista, the Filipino SEA Games steeplechase champion, will definitely have his hands full catching up, or at least trying to stay within sight, against the naturalized Qatari citizen.
Saeed is the former Stephen Ceruno of Kenya.
The Asian champions coming in for the three-day trackfest are Salem M.M. Al-Yami of Saudi Arabia (100-m), Gennadiy Chernovol of Kazakhstan (200-m), Fawzi Al-Shammari of Kuwait (400-m) and Mikhaik Kolganov of Kazakhstan (800-m) in the men’s division, plus Susanthika Jayansinghe of Sri Lanka (100-m and 200-m) and Tatyana Roslanova of Kazakhstan (400-m) in the women’s side.
Long jumper Lerma Bulauitan Gabito, on the other hand, hopes to cash in on the Asian Athletics Association championships as a jumping board to the 2003 SEA Games in Vietnam this coming December.
A double gold medal winner in the Kuala Lumpur event two years ago, Buenavista recently competed in the World Championships in Paris, France where he earned additional learning experience.
He clocked a slow time of 14:12 seconds in the 5,000 meters compared to his RP mark of 13:58, which he set in the Busan Asian Games last year.
"Ang habol ko lang po ngayon e makuha ang tatlong event sa Vietnam," said the barely five foot tall native of Sto. Niño, South Cotabato.
Assistant athletics coach Luisito Artiaga who came down from the Baguio City training camp, said the coaching staff headed by Isidro del Prado, is planning to enter Vertek in the 3,000-m steeplechase, 5,000-m and the 10,000 meters.
Buenavista said he is very familiar with all three disciplines. As of today, the wiry young father, whose wife and daughter stay with him in a rented apartment in Baguio, is being prepared to snatch three golds by coach Mario Castro, himself a former be-medaled long distance athlete.
Host PATAFA president and organizing committee chairman Go Teng Kok said he is leaving it up to the coaching staff to determine Buenavista’s capability. "I fully support my coaching staff and I know that Buenavista is capable of winning three golds in Vietnam. Wag lang magkakasabay ang event in one day," Go explained.
In the 2006 Asian games in Doha Qatar, Artiaga echoed the coaching staff’s objective of zeroing in on the men’s marathon. "Sanay naman talaga tumakbo si Vertek sa Milo marathon kaya, pagkatapos ng SEA games, concentrate na siya sa full marathon."
"Kailangan ko lang po ang full support ng PSC tulad ng vitamins, equipment, uniform, yun lang po," Buenavista said who also hopes to perform creditably in this tournament supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Department of Tourism, MILO, STI, Adidas. LG, Colgate Palmolive, Microsmith, Cafe Adriatico and the City of Manila.