Perona stunned two-time SEA Games gold medalist Ernie Candelarion in the recent National Open, and was asked by athletics chief Go Teng Kok to be part of the men’s 4x400 relay team to Thailand on June 23, Sri Lanka on June 28 and Manila on July 1.
"His presence will give our relay team a very strong chance in the Grand Prix. Otherwise, we might skip that event," said Go, clearly impressed when Perona, a native of Long Beach, California who traces his roots in Manila, won the 400m gold with a time of 47.2 seconds.
"I’m just waiting for his confirmation," added the athletics chief.
The 6-foot-2 Perona, according to Go, is enthusiastic about his Grand Prix participation. In fact, he can’t wait to become an official member of the national team so he can see action in the 23rd Southeast Asian Games the country is hosting next year.
"I don’t like my job in the US that much," said Perona, who works in a telephone company, when asked if he was willing to stay longer in the Philippines if and when he becomes a member of the RP team.
Other Filipinos seeing action in this year’s Grand Prix are long-distance runners Eduardo Buenavista and John Lozada, and long jump specialists Lerma Bulauitan and Maristella Torres.
Bulauitan skipped the long jump event of the recent National Open and tried her luck at the century dash where she won the silver medal. Torres took the gold in long jump and added another one when she broke the national record in triple jump.
The regular members of the RP 4 x 400 team are Jimar Aying, Ernie Candelario, Roney Marfil and Rodrigo Tanuan.