PERSONAL BEST. Janry Ubas poses with the scoreboard showing his personal best of 7.88 meters he registered in the long jump event of the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (PATAFA) weekly relay series finals on Nov. 20, 2022. (Contributed photo)
MANILA – The Philippines will send 18 athletes to the Thailand Open Track and Field Championships scheduled from Nov. 28 to Dec. 1 at the National Athletics Centre in Samkhog district, Pathumthani province.
The athletes were selected based on their performances in the finals of the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (PATAFA) weekly relay series which started last Aug. 14 and ended on Nov. 20.
The lineup is composed of Leonard Grospe (men's high jump), Alfrenza Braza and Mariano Masano (men's 1500-m), Francis Medina (men's 400-m hurdles), Jome Sequita, Mico del Prado and Edgardo Alejan (men's 400-m), Melvin Calano (men's javelin), Janry Ubas (men's long jump), Hokett Delos Santos (men's pole vault), Albert Mantua (men's shot put), Jelly Paragile and Melissa Escoton (women's 100-m hurdles), Josefa Ligmayo and Sarah Dequinan (women's heptathlon), Eloisa Medina (women's 100-m), Joida Gagnao (women's 3,000-m steeplechase) and Kath Khay Santos (women's long jump).
Coaches Danilo Fresnido and Joebert Delicano are also joining the trip.
During the 2019 edition, the Philippines placed fourth with three golds, one silver and two bronzes.
The medalists were Aries Toledo (men's decathlon), Marestella Sunang (women's long jump) and Natalie Rose Uy (women's pole vault), gold; Ubas (men's long jump), silver; Ronne Malipay (men's triple jump) and Dequinan (women's heptathlon), bronze.
Host country Thailand topped the medal tally board with 10 golds, 10 silvers and 15 bronzes followed by Malaysia (5-2-5) and Vietnam (5-2-2).
"I will try to duplicate my personal best in long jump and to win the gold medal in the coming Thailand Open," said Ubas in an interview on Tuesday. He set a personal best of 7.88 meters at the PhilSports athletics field in Pasig City last Sunday.
Ubas, who hails from Cagayan de Oro, captured the silver medal in the long jump (7.73 meters) and the bronze medal in decathlon in the Vietnam Southeast Asian (SEA) Games last May. (PNA)
