SEAG: 1-2 FINISH AASINTAHIN NG FIL-AM VAULTERS

TATARGETIN nina Filipino-American athletes Natalie Uy at Alyana Nicolas ang 1-2 finish sa women’s pole vault competitions ng 30th Southeast Asian Games athletic competitions.

Sina Uy at Nicolas ay kapwa nasa Estados Unidos sa kasalukuyan para sa final phase ng kanilang paghahanda para sa SEA Games na nakatakda sa Nob. 30-Dis. 11 sa 20,000-seat New Clark City athletics stadium sa loob ng 9,500-hectare NCC sports complex.

“Both Natalie and Alyana are serious and hardworking athletes, who always want to improve and push the envelope. Natalie is now in Arkansas training under Sam Bell of the well-known Arkansas-based Bell Sports. Alyana is in San Jose, California, training under 1991 SEA Games gold medalist, Fil-Am pole vaulter, Edward Lasquete. I’m hoping for a 1-2 finish in the women’s pole vault of the SEA Games,” wika ni Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (Patafa) president Philip Juico.

Si Uy ay unang gumawa ng ingay sa bansa sa 2019 Philippine National Open Athletics Championships noong Marso sa Ilagan City Sports Complex, kung saan kinuha niya ang gold sa pole vault sa  record-smashing 4.12 meters sa kanyang unang pagtatangka na burahin ang 11-year national women’s record na 4.11 meters na naitala ni Deborah Samson sa 2008 California Regionals.

Kinuha ni Nicolas ang silver sa naiposteng  3.8 meters.

Pagkalipas ng isang buwan, nakopo ni Uy ang bronze medal sa Asian Athletics Championship sa Doha, Qatar, kung saan winasak niya ang kanyang sariling Philippine record sa naitalang 4.20 meters, sa likod ng 4.61 meters ni  Chinese star Li Ling at 4.36 meters ni Xu Hiquin. Ito ay ang parehong Asian tournament kung saan nasikwat ni Ernest John Obiena ang nag-iisang gold medal ng Filipinas sa pamamagitan ng championship mark na 5.70.

Sa nalalapit na SEA Games, nais ng 24-anyos na si Uy na mapantayan ang kanyang personal-best na 4.30 meters, na kanyang naitala noong nakaraang taon sa Spain, kung saan niya ginugol ang mahabang panahon ng kanyang pagsasanay habang naghihintay sa kanyang

Ang kanyang  4.30-m pole vault leap ay sapat na para burahin ang winning 4.10 meters ni Thailand’s Chayanisa Chomchuendee sa 2017 SEAG sa Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Noong isang taon pa sana sa Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games sumabak si Uy para sa national team, ngunit nakuha lamang niya ang kanyang Philippine passport noong mid-August noong nagsisimula na ang quadrennial sports spectacle.

“There would be no hiccups like that this time,” wika ni Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman William ‘Butch’ Ra­mirez. “Government has also made sure that the athletes’ training are fun­ded. It’s already near the main days and here are the ­athletes about to close their various camps.”

“I’m just excited to be here. It’s a dream come true for me to come here,” wika ng Eastern Michigan University standout sa kanyang  National Open stint.

“It’s all worth it to be here. I love being here. I’ve been working to come here for a while, working on my citizenship and figuring out all the hurdles to get here,” dagdag ni Uy, na ang ama ay nagmula sa Cebu. CLYDE MARIANO