Cebu's Navaja off to Hanoi

CEBU, Philippines - The long wait is over for Cebuano Lindley Fran Navaja, as he leaves for Hanoi, Vietnam tomorrow to represent the country in the Asian Junior Championships, which kicks off on Thursday.

Being a neophyte in the international scene, the well-decorated trickster from the University of Cebu is aiming to bring back pride and honor to our country.

After making history in the Milo National Track and Field Open Championships, Navaja was told by the Philippine Track and Field Association (Patafa) to don the national colors in the AJC, which ends on Sunday.

Commission on Higher Education (CHED) National Games and former Palaro fastest man, now holds the menacing 10.3 seconds junior’s record breaking the 31-year-old record of 10.6 seconds set by Julio Bayaban on December 19, 1979.

A week after the CHED National Games, UC coach Babeth Capangpangan received a memorandum from Patafa that Navaja was one of the athletes for AJC.

Capangpangan was impressed with the determination and the eagerness of Navaja based on his performance during practice in preparation for the international sporting event.

“He’s really improving everyday and he’s really serious as he worked hard in the practices. I’m just hoping and praying that he will have a good performance during the competition,” Capangpangan said.

Navaja would not like to give assurance for a title as of the moment, what he is after to is to break his personal record and the senior’s current RP record of 10.7 (electronic time) by Ralph Soguilon.

“I’m not so pressured and nervous because every time I will participate in a competition, I don’t really develop this kind of mentality because these would only destruct my performance. What I can assure for now, is that I will do my very best, I will strive harder to show what I’ve got,” said Navaja, who is in Manila now.

Navaja’s events will include 100 and 200 meter sprint events and 4x100 and 4x400 meter relays. He will be competing along with track star Patrick Unso, another Palarong Pambansa standout. - THE FREEMAN