TWO major international tournaments are in the offing for the Philippine Obstacle Sports Federation (POSF), including the OCR World Championships in Costa Rica this August.
POSF head Atty. Al Agra announced in Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum a total of 18 athletes will be competing in ninja races, obstacle course short, and obstacle course long in both the world meet and in the Asia Pacific Championship in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in July.
Last year, Kevin Pascua won a gold and Precious Cabuya and Kaizen dela Serna bagged silver and bronze, respectively in the 100-meter elite finals of the OCR World Championships in Belgium.
Agra is keeping his fingers crossed, the Filipino bets would be able to equal if nor surpass last year’s feat.
“We’re preparing for these two international events especially for Ninja 100 kung saan tayo nag-excel nu’ng Southeast Asian Games. Hopefully, (it would be) like the world championships last year,” said the POSF president in the session presented by San Miguel Corporation, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, Smart/PLDT, and ArenaPlus, the leading sports entertainment gateway in the country.
The international campaign comes as the obstacle course is not yet certain if it would be included in the calendar of events of next year’s 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.
Obstacle course delivered four gold medals for the country in last year’s edition of the SEA Games in Cambodia.
“Sana nga masama kami next year sa Thailand SEA Games. So pinagta-trabahuhan namin ‘yan,” said Agra, adding the POSF would be lobbying for the inclusion of the sport, which is now considered the fifth discipline in modern pentathlon, replacing equestrian.
“Wala na ‘yung equestrian napalitan na ng obstacle course (as the fifth) discipline under modern pentathlon in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.”
Agra was joined in the public sports program by daughter Atty. Jessica Agra, who is fresh from winning the women’s doubles title in the Pro Women’s event of the Asia Pacific Padel Tour (APPT) Phuket Open in Thailand.
The younger Agra, 32, was a former tennis player for Sta. Clara University, an NCAA Division 1 school, and played one season for Ateneo in the UAAP before eventually shifting to padel sport in 2022.
She is now ranked no. 2 (doubles) in the APPT.
“Next week I will be competing in Bali, Indonesia, and then the APPT will hold another one in Indonesia in September, two tournaments in Singapore in October, one in Japan in November, and then the Masters in Dubai in December,” said Agra, whose father also played padel in his age group.
“This is our first interview together, kaya very proud and very supportive ang pamilya kung anuman ang tatahakin ni Jessica,” said the elder Agra.