FIL-AMERICAN sprinter Eric Cray has obtained official confirmation that he is qualified for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association chief Philip Ella Juico said this after the PATAFA received an official communication from Carlo de Angelis, the International Association of Athletics Federation competition department’s senior manager.
De Angelis told the PATAFA that Cray has meet the qualification of 48.98 seconds.
“The standard for the men’s 400mH is 49.40s and the athlete’s best results in the qualification period is 48.98s. This result is already in our database and on our website as you can see below. The athlete is therefore qualified for the 2016 Olympic Games,” said De Angelis.
The Texas-based Cray ran 48.98 seconds on Thursday evening (early Monday morning in Manila) in Spain to finish second in the men’s 400-meter hurdles finals at the IAAF Madrid World Challenge Cup.
Because of his status, Cray is now seeking a lower time of 48.5 seconds, according to his coach Dacian Clarke.
Cray’s time broke the Philippine record of 49.07 seconds, which he himself set in Kawasaki, Japan on May 8, 2016.
Clarke told Juico that this is what they are working on after having achieved a breakthrough time of under 49.0 secs.
Targeting 48.50 seconds will allow Cray to become a finalist in Rio.
Clarke believes that Cray can do 48.10 seconds to win the gold medal in Rio.
Cray is the second PATAFA athlete going to the Olympics, with the other being marathoner Mary Joy Tabal.