Tracksters’ mission: Seven-gold haul

Elma Muros, the undethroned long jump queen of the Southeast Asian Games since 1991, is over the hill, and will probably be less of a superstar when the 33-year-old multi-titled trackster competes for the last time in the 2001 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games.

Athletics chief Go Teng Kok, however, is not a bit concerned even as he sends 22 young campaigners barely on their second year in the biennial meet.

"We’ll win seven golds in Malaysia," said Go, confident as he used to be. "Of course, we have good chances in 12 events, but seven will be our goal."

From an 8-8-7 (gold-silver-bronze) haul in Manila in the 1991 Games, 6-6-7 in Singapore (1993) 5-1-5 in Chiang Mai (1995) and 3-4-3 in Jakarta in 1997, the Brunei stint that produced only one gold didn’t speak well of PATAFA, considering the inroads made by the regional rivals in the last few years.

Go says the performance of his wards in this year’s international competitions point out strongly to a golden harvest in Kuala Lumpur. Among the bets he’ll be relying on for the gold are Cristable Martes (10,000m and marathon), Lerma Bulauitan (100m), Muros (long jump), Geralyn Amandoron (javelin), Ernie Candelario (400m), John Lozada (800m, 1500m), Roy Vence and Allan Ballester (marathon), Eduardo Buenavista (3000m steeplecase, 5000m), Fidel Gallenero (decathlon) and Joebert Delicano (triple jump, long jump).

Muros will be competing in the long jump, her pet event, although she will be challenged by a slew of youthful rivals out to spoil her farewell bid.

Some say Go has promised to step down if athletics fails to win seven gold medals but the PATAFA chief told The STAR otherwise.