MANILA, Philippines - For skipping the National Open last weekend in Laguna, Southeast Asian Games long jump gold medallist Henry Dagmil might lose his spot in the national team bound for biennial meet slated June 5-16 in Singapore.
Track and field secretary-general Renato Unso said Dagmil will need to beat Julian Reem Fuentes and Benigno Marayag in a jumpoff next month for him to retain his spot in the national squad. Dagmil won the gold in Myanmar two years ago.
Dagmil, who holds the current national record of 7.99 meters, missed the National Open due to hamstring problems, enabling Fil-Am Donovan Arriola to nail one of the two available spots after capturing the gold in 7.59 m.
Fuentes and Marayag wound up second and third with 7.55m and 7.43m, respectively. The duo, however, hopes to beat Dagmil in a jumpoff.
“We can’t force Dagmil to join the National Open because he has an injury and under medication,” said Unso, who was appointed to his current post by newly elected Philippine Athletics Track and Field president Philip Ella Juico.
Unso also said that they were advised by Dagmil’s doctors that the athlete can exert maximum performance only until the middle of May.
“The problem is that the deadline for the final list is on May 1 so we decided to let him face Fuentes and Marayag in a jumpoff,” he said.