Team Fury athletics' super team of the future

MANILA, Philippines - The team was the underdog in the competition. Nobody paid attention nor was threatened with their presence in the Philippine National Games held in Bacolod last week. But Team Fury, composed of four elite runners from different schools and provinces proved it’s the super team.

Veteran relay runners were stunned as Team Fury took the gold last week in the 4 x 400 meter relay at the prestigious PNG games. The team outclassed the best sprinters from the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) with a full 5 seconds 3 minutes, 14 seconds, while the squad from Cebu finished a far third 19 seconds behind.

The team is composed of Julius Nierras, Archand Christian Bagsit, Edgardo Alejan Jr. and Christopher Rey de Mata. It is coached by retired runner Ernie Candelario and managed by E.G. Araullo.

Despite being a new team formed only six weeks before the PNG games in Bacolod, all its members are loaded with remarkable track and field credentials. Nierras, the most experienced, is a two-time SEA games gold medallist and a one-time Asian Grand Prix gold medallist. Up and coming sprinters Bagsit in the newest NCAA 400m record holder, Alejan Jr. is an NCAA gold medallist while De Mata is a UNI games gold medallist. Also, first-time coach Ernie Candelario is a three-time SEA games gold medallist.

The team is currently training for upcoming international competitions including the Southeast Asian Games.