by Kristel Satumbaga

ILAGAN, Isabela – Thirty-eight gold medals are at stake at the start of the 2019 Philippine National Athletics Championships happening at the City of Ilagan Sports Complex here.

Participants in the men’s 10,000 meters will raise the curtain at 6 a.m. as the three-day tournament serves as one of the qualifiers for entry to the national team, particularly for those competing in the 30th Southeast Asian Games to be held in Manila late November.

Other events on Day 1 are the 10,000m (women’s, masters men), high jump (boys, men), pole vault (boys, masters men, girls, women, masters women), long jump (men’s, masters men, boys), discus throw (women’s, boys, masters men, men’s), 100m (girls, women’s, boys, men, masters women, masters men), 400m hurdles (men’s, boys, women’s, girls), triple jump (women’s, girls), 800m (master women’s, masters men, girls, boys, women), decathlon, and 4x400m relay (girls, women’s, boys men’s)

Fil-American Eric Cray, the country’s brightest hopes in the SEAG, will only be seeing action in the 4x100m and 200m as part of his buildup to other international tournaments.

He won’t be seeing action in the 400m hurdles where he is the three-time SEAG champion.

“It’s a long season and it’s impossible to sustain your performance throughout, so I’m just trying to take it easy, trying to shake up and shape my legs for future tournaments,” said Cray, 30.

Tags: Asian Games , Eric Cray , PATAFA , Southeast Asian , Southeast Asian Games