Philippine obstacle sports body overcomes challenges, touts achievements

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Obstacle Sports Federation (POSF) made sure it hurdled the challenges for it to thrive and stay relevant in the country in this time of pandemic.

Atty. Al Agra, POSF president, said despite all the limitations that COVID-19 has caused the past nine months, his federation managed to put its plans and programs in place.

“We coined the term ‘advertunity’ in that there are opportunities amid the adversities,” said Agra in Tuesday’s online Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum.

“We relied on our resiliency. We did not look at the new normal but the better normal, and through sports contribute to sustainability and development in the country,” said Agra.

“We put up the Association for Community Sports Advocates or ACSA,” Agra told the forum presented by San Miguel Corp., Go For Gold, MILO, Amelie Hotel Manila, Braska Restaurant and PAGCOR.

While keeping its athletes in shape for forthcoming events through virtual workouts, the POSF and ACSA laid down programs for the street children, the visually impaired, those who are deaf.

“It's sports for all with no discrimination. We created a primer on 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) covering sports, human rights and our national athletes. We put up a template on sports ordinance for the cities, municipalities and provinces,” said Agra.

He said obstacle sports facilities have increased all over the country, including Subic, Laguna, Boracay, Cebu and even in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. The POSF helped put up an obstacle sports facility in the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in Baguio for its cadets.

They are also preparing an Obstacle in a Box (a 12-in-1 facility covering a limited space) for 20 schools, colleges and universities in cooperation with the local government units (LGUs).

“Dumami talaga. During the lockdown, we held regular virtual workouts for the able-bodied, Para (special athletes), youth and seniors,” said Agra.

On Saturday, the POSF will stage a face-to-face ninja event at the Pretty Huge Obstacles at SM Aura under very strict health and safety protocols.

“It’s not head-to-head. It will be one athlete at a time on the course,” said Agra, adding that the POSF is looking forward to hosting an Asian event in May and competing in a world event in Russia in September.

“We never stopped,” said Agra.