PSC mulls US training for tracksters

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Sports Commission hopes to send several members of the track and field team who won gold medals in the SEA Games in Myanmar to the United States to train with top notch American coach Ryan Flaherty as part of their buildup for the 17th Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea from Sept. 19 to Oct. 4.

They include Fil-Am hurdler Eric Cray, long jumper Henry Dagmil, decathlete Jesson Rammil Cid, sprinter Archand Bagsit and the 4x400-meter relay team of Bagsit, Julius Nierras, Isidro Del Prado Jr. and Edgardo Alejan Jr., according to PSC chair and Incheon Asiad chief of mission Richie Garcia.

Dagmil, 33, won the gold in long jump, Cray topped the 400m hurdles, Cid ruled the decathlon, Bagsit dominated the 400m dash and Nierras, del Prado, Alejan and Bagsit bagged the 4x400m relay gold.

“Unless PATAFA has other things in mind, we would like to send these athletes to train in San Diego, California with coach Ryan (Flaherty) as early as we can so that they will have a long time preparing for Incheon,” said Garcia in yesterday’s Asian Games Task Force meeting at the PSC Administration Building in Manila.

“Ryan has actually been asking us to get these said athletes to train in the Olympic Training Center there and perhaps compete in some competitions there so they can improve their time and distance and learn more techniques there,” he added.

Garcia said Flaherty was particularly impressed with the 4x400m relay squad and Dagmil.

According to Garcia, the US stint would also enable the government to save time and money compared to sending the athletes to various competitions in the SEA region.

After all, Garcia said they will need only their time and distance to qualify.

“Ryan told us he finds really potential from the relay team and Dagmil that is why we’re sending these athletes to train with him in the US and not waste time going around Southeast Asia,” said Garcia.

“Anyway, their events are measurable and Ryan will find it out and monitor their time and distance personally if they’re in the US,” he added.

Garcia also welcomed many-time SEAG long jump gold medallist and two-time Olympian Marestella Torres back to active competition after giving up her slot in the national team due to motherhood.

“She (Torres) is most welcome and we consider her as a medal potential. Of course, we want to see how she ends up in the Phl National Games and maybe in some other meets,” said Garcia.