ROBYN LAUREN BROWN takes the track of the world athletics championships in Budapest inspired running under the country’s colors on Monday but tasked to run some three seconds faster to catch a ticket to the Paris Olympics next year.
“Representing my country, Philippines, is the greatest motivation I have [since] there’s only three of us [here],” the 29-year-old Brown told BusinessMirror on the eve of her women’s 400 meters hurdles heat on Sunday. “It’s definitely exciting to be here.”
Hurdler Eric Cray, a Filipino-American like Brown, ran in the qualifiers of the men’s 400 meters hurdles Sunday but failed to advance after finishing seventh among eight runners in his heat with 50.27 seconds.
World No. 3 and Asian champion pole vaulted Ernest John “EJ” Obiena, on the other hand, competes in Wednesday’s qualifiers against 29 opponents including world and Olympic champion Armand Duplantis. The final is set August 26.
“I’m so proud because we’re just a few Southeast Asian nations here” said Brown, referring to Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore which also have athletes in Budapest. “We have to work hard to achieve our goals.”
Work hard Brown needs to do as the 57.50 seconds she booked in winning the women’s 400m hurdles gold at the Bangkok Asian championships last month—her ticket to Budapest—is 2.67 seconds under the Paris Olympics qualifying standard of 54.85.
But the daughter of Susana Crisostomo, a registered nurse in Los Angeles, and Kurtis Brown, a retired respiratory therapist, is undaunted.
“I feel so excited so I’m hoping it will boost my Olympic route,” she said.
Brown in harness in Budapest, hopes to make grade for Paris
Source: News Paper Radio
0 Comments