Ace tracksters, region’s best vie in Ayala Philippines meet

MANILA, Philippines — The country’s top tracksters gear up for the coming Asian Games in Indonesia as they compete against some of the best in the region in the 2018 Ayala Philippine Athletic Championships in Ilagan, Isabela next month.

Fil-Ams Eric Cray and Anthony Beram are expected to banner the country’s campaign in the May 31 to June 4 meet which the City of Ilagan will be hosting for the second straight year.

“Eric, we expect him to come as he normally does. And Beram will come because he’ll be training here (for the Asiad),” said Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) president Philip Ella Juico during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at the Tapa King Restaurant at Farmers Plaza in Cubao last Tuesday.

Around 14 to 15 countries are seeing action in the five-day tournament led by traditional powers Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

“We sent invitations to all (45) Asian countries,” said Juico.

The event comes two months before the Asiad in the cities of Jakarta and Palembang, where Cray, Beram, EJ Obiena, among others are the country’s top bets for medals.