Philippine Athletics meet draws hundreds of participants

MANILA, Philippines — Around 800 athletes, including 60 bets from six foreign countries, will see action in the ICTSI Philippine Athletics Championships 2025 scheduled May 1-4 at the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.

Reli de Leon, special assistant to Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) president Terry Capistrano, said the country’s finest will be on hand as well as athletes from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Taiwan, India and Papua New Guinea.

“The event serves as the basis for the selection of our national team to the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand in December so we expect the best performances from them,” he said during Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the conference hall of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

De Leon, who was joined at the forum by national coaches Dario de Rosas and Jeoffrey Chua, said the country’s top under-18 athletes will also vie as they seek slots to the Asian Youth Games in Bahrain in October.

“That’s why everybody is excited for this event. Even our national athletes and Paris Olympians Jan Tolentino Cabang and Lauren Hoffman are excited,” said De Rosas ahead of the Category B event under World Athletics.

Chua said the foreign bets will not take the event lightly because points are at stake as they try to qualify to the World Championships in Japan in September.

The modern stadium, venue of the 2019 SEA Games, makes the event more competitive. To ensure the safety of the bets considering the intense summer heat, competition events are set from 2 to 9 p.m. except for walkathon that has morning sessions.

“Olympic atmosphere ang venue and unlike other venues here, meron complete warm up area for the athletes before they enter the main stadium,” added Chua during the forum presented by San Miguel Corporation, Philippine Sports Commission. Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, Smart/PLDT, and the country’s 24/7 sports app ArenaPlus.

“Our Olympians and Fil-foreign athletes are more excited to showcase their talents. And that’s why we expect good performances and of course new records. Our national team members will all be here because it’s a requirement,” added Chua.

“We really expect better performances kasi napakaganda ng track oval. Our athletes from the UAAP and NCAA will also compete,” he added heading to the meet supported by the ICTSI Foundation, CEL Logistics, Milo Philippines, United Auctioneers Inc., Wireless Link, Pocari Sweat Philippines, EnergyA, Masiv Sports, BCDA New Clark City, Manila Water Company, Clark Water Corp. and the Philippine Sports Commission.