ATHLETICS' BEST PINOY BETS SHOW THEIR WARES AT ICTSI PAC AT PHILSPORTS OVAL

THE country's best bet in Olympic men's long jump Janry Ubas will take center stage early this morning as the ICTSI Philippine Athletics Championships unfolds at the Philsports Complex track oval in Pasig City.

A bronze medal finisher in the Hong Kong Athletic Championships over the weekend, Ubas, a gold medalist in his pet event in the 2023 32nd Cambodia Southeast Asian Games, will see action together with the other entries at 6 a.m.

Over 1,000 entries from both overseas and locally will see action in the blue-ribbon track event that serves as an Olympic ranking qualifying meet by World Athletics and organized by the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association.

Also expected to attract attention is the looming rivalry between two-time Southeast Asian Games men's 110-meter hurdles gold medalist Clinton Bautista and Spain-based John Cabang, who will see action in the finals of the event at 4 a.m.

Several other Olympic aspirants are competing in the competition backed by the Philippine Sports Commission, CEL Logistics, Pocari Sweat and SIP, among others, including back-to-back SEA Games shot put gold medalist Willie Morrison and Tokyo Olympic Games veteran Kristina Knott.

A slew of other Filipino-American campaigners will also vie in the event popularly known as the National Open, including Lauren Hoffman and Lauren Robyn Brown, who are seeking tickets to Paris in the women's 400-meter hurdles.