Eric Cray gains World Athletics Championships berth

FILE–Filipino hurdler Eric Cray.

Former Asian champion Eric Cray will accompany pole vaulter EJ Obiena and fellow hurdler Robyn Lauren Brown to the forthcoming 2023 World Athletics Championships.

According to Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association secretary general Edward Kho, the long-time Southeast Asian Games record-holder of the men’s 400m hurdles collected the necessary points to book a slot in the Budapest, Hungary worlds scheduled Aug. 19-27.

“Eric was able to amass enough points to barge into the top 40 of the world rankings and made it to the world championships,’’ said Kho.

The 32-year-old Cray, who retained his 400m title in the SEA Games for the sixth consecutive time three months ago in Cambodia, will race in the world champs on August 20.

Obiena is a shoo-in entry to the world championships owing to his global ranking of second overall behind Olympic gold medalist and world record-holder Armand “Mondo’’ Duplantis of Sweden.

Obiena, who holds the Asian record of six meters, claimed the bronze medal in the world championships last year in Eugene, Oregon, the first Filipino to reach the podium at that level.

Brown, meanwhile, ruled the women’s 400m hurdles in the recent Asian Athletics Championships held in Bangkok, Thailand to earn her ticket to Budapest.

The Los Angeles, California-based Brown clocked 57.50 seconds in narrowly defeating the Japanese duo of Eri Utsunomiya (57.73) and Ami Yamamoto (57.80) to crown herself as continental champion.