MANILA, Philippines — Victoria Bossong sang the national anthem with fervor along with a group of Fil-heritage athletes competing in the ICTSI Philippine Athletics Championships when dared during a media briefing at the PhilSports Arena if she could speak Filipino.
It was their way of saying they yearn to compete for flag and country.
“This is a dream of mine for a long time, the greatest opportunity of a lifetime,” said the 21-year-old Bossong, who flew with her mom, Puerto Galera native Annie Yaco Atienza from Maine, United States and landed here at dawn yesterday, in a press conference hosted by Filam Sports.
For the uninitiated, Bossong, a Harvard standout, ran the 800 meters in two minutes and 0.92 second in the Pepsi Florida Relays last March, one of the fastest times by any US NCAA Division I runner in the season.
And that clocking pushed her closer to breaching the Olympic standard of 1:59.30.
She had applied for a Philippine passport, and she hopes to get it just before she plunges into action in the 800m tomorrow.
Part of the 16-strong FilAm Sports stable of Bo Navarro and Olympian pole-vaulter Ed Lasquete is Lauren Hoffman, who is seeking to likewise make the Olympic cut in the 400m hurdles.
“I will accomplish the goal of making the Olympics, I’m trying to do that (today),” said Hoffman, referring to the Paris standard of 54.85 seconds.