PH national athletics team to face delay in bubble training

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

 

The Philippine National Athletics team will be facing a huge problem after chief Philip “Ella” Juico disclosed that they still can’t begin their training in the Calamba bubble.

Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) President Juico confirmed to different news sources that due to the concerns over the new strain of COVID-19, additional papers are requested for them to enter the bubble.

“Because of so many documentary requirements that emerged, and now we have to exert extra caution with the new variant, there were additional documents and additional costs,” said Juico.

PATAFA chief Juico added that one of the new requirements added to enter the bubble is to get swabbed seven times in two months.

Under the National Athletics helm that are trying to vie for a spot in the upcoming 2021 Tokyo Olympics, 40 athletes and coaches will be trying to enter the bubble which means all of them will be needing seven swab tests in two months, a thing that is taken into consideration by PATAFA.

However, the priority is still the preparation of the local athletes that will fight for spots in the Olympics.

Meanwhile, Tokyo qualifier Ej Obiena, PH athletics’ top athletes Eric Cray, Kristina Knott, William Morrison, and Natalie Uy are training abroad.