Already assured of two gold medals, Filipino obstacle racers vowed to put up a good show on Saturday in the individual 100m events to determine the best among them in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
The fancied obstacle racers set up all-Pinoy finals duels in the men’s and women’s individual categories after blowing past the opposition with world record-breaking runs in Wednesday’s qualifying rounds.
Mark Julius Rodelas, who carved a new OCR and Guinness standard of 25.092 seconds, and 2019 champion Kevin Pascua, who posted a personal best of 26.190, will dispute the men’s crown.
Precious Cabuya, fresh from her world record of 33.128 in the heats, and Kaizen dela Serna, coming off her own best of 34.836, will battle it out in an equally explosive finale in the women’s division.
The finals, set at 8 a.m. at the Chroy Changvar Convention Center Car Park, will formalize obstacle racing’s entry into the overall medal haul of the national delegation backed by the Philippine Sports Commission and Philippine Olympic Committee, which stood at two golds, two silvers, and three bronzes before Friday’s formal opening rites.
“Malaki ang tiwala ko na magiging maganda ‘yung laban sa finals kasi parehas kami ng techniques na ginagawa,” Rodelas said.
Rodelas is gunning for his first SEA Games championship after taking bronze behind winner Pascua four years ago in Manila while also setting his sights on a 24-second performance.
“One hundred percent ready ako at confident sa match-up namin. Masaya ito, kahit sino sa amin, Filipino ang magwawagi,” he said.
Pascua shared his rival’s sentiments, saying: “Andun talaga ‘yung goal na mag-gold ulit. Pero talagang gusto namin is clean run and no injuries for both of us and to finish the race clean. ‘Yung time parang bonus na lang sa amin. For me, whatever happens, sino man manalo o matalo, nagawa namin ‘yung goal namin na makuha itong spot na ito para sa Pilipinas.”
