Top talents make track chief bullish on 2017

Philippine athletics will explode off the starting blocks in 2017.

Philip Ella Juico, president of the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association, yesterday said they have a pool of top-level athletes who can deliver the goods for the Philippines—predicting 11 gold medals in the Southeast Asian Games in Malaysia.

The athletes will receive specialized training and coaching that will be funded by the private sector including Ayala Corp., according to Juico.

The athletes include Southeast Asian Games double gold medalist Eric Cray (100m and 400m hurdles), Ernest John Obiena (pole vault), Marco Vilog (800m), Marestella Torres-Sunang (long jump), Stuart Caleb (hammer throw), Kayla Richardson (100m), Aries Toledo (decathlon) and Edgardo Alejan Jr. (relays).

Also being considered are Jessica Barnard (long distance), Harry Diones (long jump) Patrick Unso (hurdles), Trentan Beram (400m), Kyla Richardson (sprints), Zion Corrales-Nelson (sprints) and Mervin Guarte (middle distance).