Patafa signs two middle distance aces

Philippine track and field is going to sign up Fil-Moroccan siblings who could carry the fight for the country in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Middle distance runners Said and Yacine Guermali, born to a Filipino mother from Nueva Vizcaya province, promise to be the biggest talents for the PH athle­tics contingent in four years owing to impressive performances in the United States.

The siblings have been successfully racing in the 800, 1,500 and 5,000 meters and could easily own the Southeast Asian Games marks in those distances had they raced for the Philippines last year. The current Southeast Asian Games record in the men’s 1,500 meter is 4:06:53, with the 23-year-old Said clocking a personal best of 3:54:26 achieved in Portland on May 16, 2019.

Yacine, 21, timed 3:48:91 in a similar distance held on May 11, 2019, as they are highly anticipated to rule the event in the 2021 Vietnam SEA Games.

Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (Patafa) president Philip Ella Juico said the Guermalis have plenty of time to prepare for the 2021 Vietnam SEA Games. INQ