Hallasgo, SEAG gold winners to train inside bubble

Christine Hallasgo —MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

The Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) champions led by marathon queen Christine Hallasgo are joining the training bubble for the national tracksters starting Jan. 27.

From her hometown of Malaybalay, Bukidnon, Hallasgo will join fellow gold medalists Melvin Calano (javelin) and Sarah Dequinan (heptathlon) along with 17 other Filipino athletes.

The bubble camp, to be held at New Clark City athletics stadium, will last for two months and will culminate with the Ayala Philippine Athletics Championships on March 19 to 21.

All in all, there are 20 athletes and six coaches joining the bio-safe facility to prepare for the Tokyo Olympics qualifying as well as the Vietnam SEA Games.

There are eight other SEA Games medalists entering in the bubble including Michael del Prado, Francis Medina, Frederick Ramirez and Joyme Sequita in relays, Harry Diones (triple jump), Joida Gagnao (steeplechase), Mariano Masano (1,500-meter run) and Janry Ubas (decathlon).

Foreign-based national athletes like Olympic qualifier Ej Obiena, the Asian and SEA Games champion, will continue training in their respective camps, according to the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association.

Close to securing tickets to Tokyo Games are Eric Cray in 400m hurdles, Kristina Knott in sprints and William Morrison II in shot put. They are all based in the United States, while Obiena is in Formia, Italy.