ICTSI offers P5 million for athletics gold

MANILA, Philippines — International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) chairman/CEO Ricky Razon has laid out incentives for PATAFA Olympians who land a podium finish at the Paris Games and the rewards are hefty. PATAFA president Terry Capistrano, who’s now in Paris, announced yesterday that ICTSI will give P5 million to the athlete and P2.5 million to the coach for a gold medal, P3 million to the athlete and P1.5 million to the coach for a silver and P2 million to the athlete and P1 million to the coach for a bronze.

The PATAFA Olympians are pole vaulter EJ Obiena, 28, 110m hurdler John Cabang, 22 and 400m hurdler Lauren Hoffman, 25. Obiena is first to compete in the qualifications on Aug. 3 and if he makes the cut, will jump in the final on Aug. 5. Cabang is next and will join the heats on Aug. 4 with the semifinals on Aug. 7 and final on Aug. 8. Hoffman hits the track in the heats on Aug. 4 with the repachage round on Aug. 5, semifinals on Aug. 6 and final on Aug. 8.

Capistrano rode a train from Paris to Metz to visit Hoffman and Cabang training with Spanish coach Martin de la Fuente at the local track oval last Thursday. He was met at the train station by POC’s Atty. Billy Sumagui and Nikko Huelgas, physical therapist Louise Gopez and PATAFA secretary-general Jasper Tanhueco. “John’s in superb shape, brimming with confidence,” said Capistrano. The PATAFA head spent the night in Metz and took an early train ride back to Paris the next morning to make it on time for the opening parade on the River Seine. Capistrano missed his train to Metz by a minute because of heavy traffic caused by strict security measures and waited two and a half hours for the next ride which took one and a half hours.

Hoffman moved to the Olympic Village in the northern Paris suburbs yesterday while Cabang and De la Fuente will stay in Metz until Wednesday. Obiena is in Normandy with Ukrainian coach Vitaly Petrov and will transfer to the Olympic Village on Wednesday.