Aminado si Filipino-American Olympian Eric Cray na naging issue para sa kanya ang pagkakaroon ng tamang kumpiyansa bilang isang atleta.

Ayon sa 27-anyos na si Cray, kinailangan pa niyang makatanggap ng payo buhat sa kanyang Jamaican coach na si Davian Clarke at sa kasabayan sa training na si French Olympian Mickael Hanany para bumalik ang kanyang kumpiyansa.

Nag-qualify si Cray sa 400-meter hurdles nang ang kanyang 49.12-second mark noong 2015 Cayman Invitational ay pasok sa 49.40 seconds na qualifying mark ng International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) para sa 2016 Olympics.

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Malaking bagay umano ang payo nina Clarke at Hanany sa katulad niya na tila hindi pinapansin sa mga major competitions katulad ng Olympic Games.

“They’ve been telling me I can run with those guys. They tell me that when I get there, I just have to focus on myself and the big leaps I’ve done,” ani Cray. “Basically they tell me to be confident with myself and my training, that I belong to this stage and can compete with these guys.”

Matapos ang kanyang college career ay bumaba na ang kumpiyansa ni Cray nang magsimula na siyang lumaban sa international events bilang atleta ng Pilipinas.

Ngunit dahil sa payo ng dalawa ay naibalik ni Cray ang tamang kumpiyansa na nagdulot naman ng magarbong 2015 campaign.

Ito’y dahil bukod sa Olympic qualifier, nakuha rin ng Olongapo-born ang ginto sa 400-meter hurdles at 100-meter dash ng nakaraang SEA Games sa Singapore.

“Last year really gave me a boost. Being able to run the times I ran, and having the year I had, the best year of my life, it really gave me my confidence back. I’m ready to show up and is excited for this season. I’m ready for 2016,” ani Cray.

Si Cray ay kasalukuyang nasa training camp nito sa El Paso, Texas at naghahanda para sa susunod nitong competition, ang Asian Indoor Championship na gaganapin sa Qatar sa susunod na buwan.

“I’ll try to run with the best and see how I stack up early in the season. But it’s really all about my preparation for the Olympics,” ani Cray “I think running with world class competition year round helps you define yourself as an athlete and makes you more competitive when you get to the big stage.” (DENNIS PRINCIPE)