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Julius
Nierras prevented a gold-medal shutout for the
Philippines when he ruled the 400-meter run in the 2008
Asian Athletics Grand Prix at the Mydinh National
Stadium in Hanoi, Vietnam.
The
reigning Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) champion clocked
47.36 seconds and edged Pojaroen Jukkatip of Thailand in
a photo-finish. Rohita Pushpakutama of Sri Lanka wound
up third with 47.41.
Nierras’s golden feat was the first for the country in
the three-leg series.
The
Philippines snared a bronze in the opening leg in
Bangkok, courtesy of Julius Sermona in the 3,000 meters,
then bagged two bronze medals in the Nakhon Ratchasima
stop through Sermona (5,000) and Marestella Torres (long
jump).
More
important, it also fanned his bid for a token slot for
the Philippines in the Beijing Olympics slated from
August 8 to 24. The Philippines is given two mandatory
slots—one each for men and women—because athletics is a
“must-participate” sport in the Olympics.
“He
really stamped his class in the Hanoi leg and this
boosted his chance for the Olympic slot,” said
Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association president
Go Teng Kok.
“We will
evaluate Nierras’s performances this year as well as the
other candidates then we will come up with a decision.
It’s going to be tough though. We want the best athletes
to represent the country,” Go added.
Besides
Nierras, back-to-back SEAG champion and national record
holder Henry Dagmil and middle-distance Rene Herrera are
reportedly being considered for the coveted slot.
Torres,
the leading contender for the women’s Beijing berth long
jumper, could only finish second in her event with 6.38
meters. She finished behind India’s Anju Bobby George
(6.55) and China’s Zhang Lan (6.36).
Go is
expected to announce the two Beijing-bound tracksters
today after a regular association board meeting. |
