TWO Fil-American tracksters will join the national contingent that will represent Guam at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, in August.
According to the Pacific Daily News, the Guam National Olympic Committee announced that high school sprinter Regine Tugade and 800-meter runner Joshua Ilustre have been granted two universality spots in athletics.
The 18-year-old Tugade, a beauty queen in her school and is going to the US Naval Academy in college, is entered in the women’s 100-meter and 200-meter dash.
She was in the Philippines last year and saw action in the Philippine National Open in Laguna.
“I’m very humbled to be given this opportunity and I’m really excited to be able to represent our island,” Tugade, whose parents are Ilocano, said in an interview with the Guam-based newspaper.
Tugade only learned that she will be part of the team on Thursday night.
She graduated from John F. Kennedy High School this year.
Tugade set five high school track and field records — in the 100 meters, 200 meters, 400 meters, long jump and triple jump.
Three Guam national women and junior track and field records in the 100 meters (12.26 seconds), 200 meters (25.28) and 400 meters (57.89) also belong to her.
Recently, Tugade was appointed to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and from there she will continue her athletics’ career.
On the other hand, Ilustre, who recently won a gold medal in the 1,500-meter open at the Micronesian Championships, was stunned when he learned that he will go to Rio.
Recently, he also won silver at the 2012 Oceania Championships in Australia in the men’s 1,600-meter relay, under-20 division, with teammates Nicolas Raval, Jordan Tingson and Rey John Flores.
“That goal is finally coming into fruition,” Ilustre said in an interview with PDN.
The two runners will join Benjamin Schulte and Pilar Shimizu, who were named to the two universality spots in swimming, and Dr. Peter Lombard II, who qualified on merit in mountain biking.