Ayala Philippine Athletics slated next year at New Clark City

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association has teamed up with the Bases Conversation and Development Authority in staging the Ayala Philippine Athletics Championships, which was reset from next month to March next year at the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.

Pending the approval of the Inter-Agency Task Force, the annual event is scheduled from March 19-21 at the same venue where the national track and field team harvested 11 gold, eight silver and eight bronze medals in the Southeast Asian Games that helped the country win the overall title.

“It is in New Clark City where we made history, where we won as one, our athletics team bagged the most number of gold medals for the Philippines among any Olympic sports,” said BCDA President and Chief Executive Officer Vince Dizon.

“The Olympic qualifiers will be a great opportunity for them not just to relive those winning moments, but to show the sports community that we can restart safely,” he added.

Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association president Philip Ella Juico bared plans to send the members of their national pool into a two-month training camp starting January next year in a bubble set up at the massive Capas venue.

“If the National Open will be an Olympic qualifier, our national athletes have to be prepared and be given provisions for that,” said Juico. “Holding a two-month bubble training camp in New Clark City will benefit and at the same time provide them a safe venue to achieve that goal.

“Some of them are eyeing the Olympics and next to that is the Vietnam SEA Games, which will take place in 12 months time,” he added.

The training camp was originally scheduled this month while the National Open next month but organizers were forced to postpone it next year because of it has yet to get approval from the IATF.

The National Open and training camp are being backed by the Philippine Sports Commission, Ayala Corporation, Milo and Fine Guard sportsmask.