Asian Athletics Championships: Cray barges into 400-m hurdles semis

BANGKOK — Reigning Southeast Asian king Eric Shauwn Cray led the first round of the 400-meter hurdles Heat 2 en route to the semifinals of the 25th Asian Athletics Championships at the Supachalasai National Stadium here Friday. 

The 34-year-old Cray, who was at the second to the last lane prior to the start, showed who’s the boss and clocked in 50.39 seconds to top Heat 2 — one of the four heats — and move to the semifinals set Friday night.  

“I just did what I wanted to do and be ready for my next run. It was just the same routine: early warm-up and prepare myself mentally,” the San Antonio, Texas resident said. “As much as I want to, I need to conserve my energy and give it all later.”

Cray was followed by Chinese Xie Zhiyu with 50.47 seconds and Lebanese Marc Anthony Ibrahim with 51.59, both of whom joined 13 others in the semifinals. 

Despite being two seconds behind the Olympic qualifying mark of 48.70 seconds, Cray remains on track of reaching that target in the semifinals or even in Saturday’s finals if he makes it. 

“The goal is to qualify [for the Olympics] and win this tournament,” he added. 

Meanwhile, Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) president Terry Capistrano was elected to the eight-man council of the Asian Athletic Association on Tuesday, giving the Philippines more clout in the continental governing body for track and field.

The campaign of the 23-man Philippine athletics team is backed by the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee, with CEL Logistics as team sponsor

Over the weekend, Southeast Asian Games gold winner Janry Ubas is also set to get a qualifying berth in the Paris Olympics next year, when he jumps in men’s long jump final against 18 other counterparts on Saturday late afternoon. 

Asia’s No. 1 pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena, accompanied by physio Antonio Guglietta and long-time Ukrainian trainer Vitaly Petrov, will be competing in the final on Sunday afternoon after arriving here Friday morning.  

Meanwhile, 2019 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist runner Kristina Marie Knott was running as of press time in the semifinal after qualifying on Thursday in Round 1 of women’s century dash heat with a 11.55-second performance. 

Knott placed third behind Iran’s Farzaneh Fasihi, who topped Heat 3 with 11.42 seconds, and Japanese Arisa Kimishima at second with 11.46.   

Ronne Malipay finished sixth in the men’s triple jump finals on Thursday night with a 16.08-m result.