RP tracksters face big hurdle

BUSAN, South – Two top Filipino tracksters are facing daunting tasks when athletics begins today -- one running in an event he has never been tested before and the other seeking to win a medal to move out of the shadow of her revered compatriot.

The Philippines has never won a gold since Lydia de Vega retained her sprint crown in 1986 in Seoul and though the Filipinos reigned supreme in the regional conclave of the SEA Games last year in Kuala Lumpur, they look hard pressed to medal here in Busan. Eduardo Buenavista, the five-foot pocket-size marvel from South Cotabato who accounted for two of the nine-gold haul RP had in the Kuala Lumpur Games, will run against a talented field in the 10,000-meter including two of the medalists in the Bangkok Asiad.

And Lerma Bulauitan, listed as Lerma Gabito in the competition start list following her marriage after the SEAG, will compete in the women’s long jump where she ranks only seventh in a 12-woman cast based on their personal best.

Two other Filipinos will see action at the Busan Main Stadium -- John Lozada in the first round of the 800-m and Ernie Candelario in the first round of the 400 meters. The two were the other athletics heroes in Kuala Lumpur.

Bulauitan will compete with Marestella Torres, who completed a 1-2 finish for the Philippines in an Asian Grand Prix leg early this year, in the event where they would have to go up against the fancied Yelena Kochsheyeva, winner in the Asian Championship.

For the 27-year-old Bulauitan, it will be a rare chance to prove that she is a worthy successor to the now-retired Elma Muros-Posadas who had won two bronzes in the 400-m hurdles in Beijing and in the long jump in Hiroshima.

A hamstring injury suffered while training forced the 23-year-old Buenavista to abandon his favorite event, the 3,000-m steeplechase, which he had consistently won on the regional front the past two years, and try his luck on the gruelling 10,000-m.

"He has to give it up dahil sumasakit ang tuhod niya pagtumatalon. At marami ng magagaling at malalakas na bata na lumalabas," said coach Dario de Rosas.

His best time in the event -- 30:19 made during the Hong Kong 10-km Adidas King of the Road -- is only eighth best in the 13-man roster led by Bangkok Games silver medalist Ibrahim Ahmed Hashim who had 29:11.84. Japan’s Kenji Takao, winner of the event four years ago, is not in the start list but another Japanese looms as formidable asTsubota Tomoo who has personal best of 27:51.85.

"Mabibigat ang kalaban pero may pagasa tayo," said Buenavista. – Lito A. Tacujan