8 tracksters to train in US for Asiad

MANILA, Philippines — Eight Filipino tracksters who figured prominently in the last Southeast Asian Games may be sent to the United States for training as part of their preparation for the 17th Asian Games.

Philippine Sports Commission chair Richie Garcia, the country’s Asian Games chef de mission, said he would get the blessings of athletics chief Go Teng Kok to allow the training of the eight athletes under top American coaches.

Garcia said long jumper Henry Dagmil, decathlete Jesson Ramil Cid, Christopher Ulboc Jr. (3,000 men’s steeplechase) and the 4x400m relay team of Archand Christian Bagsit, Isidro del Prado Jr., Julius Nierras and Edgardo Alejan—all gold medalists in the 2013 SEA Games held in Burma (Myanmar)—could join Filipino-American hurdler Eric Cray in the US soon.

“We will seek the approval of Mr. Go,” said the PSC chief. “Hopefully, we could tap (American coach) Ryan (Flaherty) but I heard he’s already committed to Thailand. If he’s no longer available, we will find somebody else.”

The eight will be sent to San Diego, California, home of the US Olympic facility for athletics, where the Filipinos could train for the Asiad slated Sept. 19 to Oct. 4 in Incheon, South Korea.

Flaherty helped the Filipino tracksters bag six golds in the SEA Games.

“It’s a welcome development and it’s good for my athletes,” said Go. “I hope other young potential athletes could also train in the US.”