Big efforts are being made so that Filipino athletes will be able to sweep all the six gold medals at stake in the first staging of obstacle course racing in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.
For one, eight top members of the national squad will be sent to Colorado next week to train with members of the national team in the United States.
Pilipinas Obstacle Sports Federation Al Agra said these athletes will be there to be prepared to face the challenges that they will face when action takes place this December.
“Like any other sport, there are challenges. And we are up to the challenges,” said Agra when he introduced members of the national pool during the launch of the Pretty Huge Obstacle racing facility at the SM Aura in Taguig.
Nathaniel Sanchez, a crossfit coach, leads the eight-pool team, which will be sent to Colorado. He will be a playing coach with women’s mentor Sarah Jane Lim and together they will be part of national tier 1 pool.
They will be joined by Jeffrey Regino, Manolito Divina and Vernier Miranda in the men’s division.
In the women’s side are model-turned-athlete Chrystalle Omaga, Kaizen de la Serna and Juvelle Pua.
Among the six events that will be featured for obstacle racing are 100-meter men and women events, which will have 10 obstacles.
There’s also the 400-meter event with 12 obstacles and the 5-km race with 20 obstacles.
It will be held at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
The selection for members of the squad will happen during the four legs set in March, May, July and September.
The training of the national pool in Colorado was made possible with the support of World OCR president Ian Adamson.
Also at the launch was PHO Chief Strategic Officer Charz Kelso.
