Fil-Am runners in hot water
By Jerome Lagunzad
If they want to maintain their precious slots for this year’s Asian Games in Indonesia, prized Fil-Am runners Eric Shauwn Cray and Trenten Anthony Beram need to convince the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association on why they failed to see action in the Korean Open last week which is a clear violation of team rules.
PATAFA chief Dr. Philip Ella Juico disclosed to Tempo-Bulletin yesterday that the local governing body has given Cray, 29, a maximum of 10 days that started last Wednesday to make a concrete response as to why he didn’t take part in the said event which was part of the national team’s buildup for the August 18-Sept. 2 Asian meet.
Along with homegrown Anfernee Lopena and fellow Fil-Am trackster Clinton Bautista, Cray and Beram were supposed to vie in the men’s 4×100-meter relay to boost the team’s International Amateur Athletics Federation rankings in time for the Asian Games.
“He has to submit his response and then we will have to assess that,” said Juico of Cray, a four-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist and once considered as the fastest man in the region for ruling the century dash in record-breaking style in 2015.
As for Beram, who topped the 200m and 400m events in the Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia SEAG last year, Juico admitted that “we already talked to his father (Glen). We just cross checked what they’re doing and also the reason for his non-participation in the Korean Open.
“Trent has his own coach, nutritionist and strength and conditioning coach, all of which they pay for. But we just want to know if they’re in sync with our schedule since we also have our own nutritionist, sports psychologist and strength and conditioning coach,” he added.