"The competition is just getting tougher and this is good for our athletes," said RP track and field president Go Teng Kok yesterday as the final preparations for the multi-nation event on June 1 to 4 are being laid out.
Set at the Rizal Memorial Stadium, the competition has attracted athletes from powerhouse countries like China and South Korea with more coming from India, Singapore, Malaysia, Chinese-Taipei and Vietnam.
"China and Korea are not sending big delegates but they’re so interested because they’ve heard of the tough competition in this Milo event for the past few years," added Go.
Leading the RP campaign are Athens Olympics-bound Eduardo Buenavista and Lerma Bulauitan who have found new allies in the eight Fil-American athletes who will plane in on Wednesday from Los Angeles to compete.
The Koreans, according to Go, are competing in as many tournaments as possible in preparation for their hosting of the Asian Championships next year. Korea is sending 11 athletes to Manila.
The Chinese, on the other hand, will field a lean but mean squad made up of one male and four female athletes.
Go said while the Chinese are here, he will also try to seal a deal regarding an offer for Filipino athletes and coaches as well to train in China in time for the Philippine SEA Games in November next year.
"Since we’re hosting the next SEA Games, this Milo event, and the tieup with the Chinese, will be part of our preparations," said Go, who also appealed to the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) to continue supporting athletics.
"We in track and field can only do so much that’s why we need our old partner, the PSC, to help us realize our goal to win the overall title in athletics in the 2005 SEA Games," said Go.
Winning the athletics crown, he added, will be a key factor in the country’s bid to emerge as the overall crown in the biennial meet which we are hosting only for the third time since 1981 and 1991.
The Philippines finished second overall to Indonesia in the 1991 SEA Games as it fell short despite winning 91 gold medals against the 92 of the Indonesians.