Philippine Sports News and Updates

MANILA, Philippines - OVER 1,000 athletes, including 150 foreign players will see action in the 2009 MILO-National Open Track and Field Championship slated May 10-12 at the Don Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center in Lingayen.

Four more countries - Singapore, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka and Vietnam – have confirmed their participation in the meet bringing the number of foreign teams to eight making this year’s Open presented by MILO, the local government of Lingayen and Dagupan City Mayor Alipio ‘Al’ Fernandez the biggest in years.

Thailand, Malaysia, Chinese-Taipei and Sri Lanka have already submitted their respective teams in the event sanctioned by the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF).

“Counting the number of local teams to 45, this year’s Open double the number of participants which competed in the last staging of the Open in Palayan, Nueva Ecija.We are happy with the support extended by Mayor (Al) Fernandez and the Lingayen provincial board,” said atletics chief Go Teng Kok.

“It’s a tough field, that is why we will used this Open as part of our selection for the composition of our national team in Laos SEAG,” said Go.

Go said that the national contingent will be led by Arnel Ferrera, who won another gold in hammer throw event in Thailand Open recently.

Aside of Ferrera, the Philippines is counting on the SEAG long jump record holder Henry Dagmil, Marestela Torres, marathoner Cristabel Martes, Eduardo Buenavista, steeplechase Rene Herrera, Danilo Fresnido and middle distance runner Joebert Delicano.

Fernandez said the province of Pangasinan is rolling out the red carpet for all participants and expects a fiesta atmosphere during the duration of the Games.

“We already coordinating with the Department of Tourism so we can arranged side trip for our foreign players. We can exploit their presence to show the beauty of the province of Pangasinan,’ said Fernandez.

• Philstar
• Philippine Sports Central