Target ng Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (Patafa) na masungkit ang 10 gintong medalya sa 2017 Southeast Asian Games.

Kumpiyansa na ipinahayag ni Patafa president Philip Ella “Popoy” Juico ang kahandaang ng atletang Pinoy na nakatakdang sumailalim sa pagsasanay at paglahok sa international competition bilang bahagi ng paghahanda ng koponan sa biennial meet.

Kabilang sa inaasahan ni Juico na magbibigay ng karangalan sa bansa sina SEA Games sprint king and queen Eric Cray at Kayla Richardson, three-time Olympian Marestella Torres-Sunang, EJ Obiena, Christopher Ulboc, Marco Vilog, Caleb Stuart, Aries Toledo, Edgardo Alejan, Jessica Barnard, Harry Diones, Trenten Berram, Kyla Richardson, Jessica Barnard, Zion Corrales, Mervin Guarte, Joan Caido, Ryan Bigyan, at Raymond Alferos.

Iginiit ni Juico na bukod sa Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), magmumula ang pondo para sustinahan ang Team Philippines ng mga ‘Sports Godfather’ ng Patafa, kabilang ang Ayala Corporation.

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“We will have a special program. We have 60 athletes in our list. From these, we will choose probably 17 for specialized training and specialized funding coming from the private sector and Ayala Corporation,” sambit ni Juico.

“As of now based on what we know of them, what they are doing, and recent performances, very roughly possibility of 10 to 11 gold medals in the SEA Games,” aniya.

Ang target ni Juico sa Malaysia ay doble sa napagwagihan ng atletang Pinoy sa 2015 SEA Games sa Singapore kung saan namayani sina Cray at Richardson (100m dash), Cray (400m hurdles), Stuart (hammer throw) at Ulboc (3,000m steeplechase).