The Philippines, trying to gauge its strength for the coming Asian Games, kick-started its campaign in the Asian Athletics Championships on Wednesday in Pattaya, Thailand.

It had three athletes hitting the ground running with Southeast Asian Games silver medalists Sonny Wagdos and Arlan Arbois in the men's 10,000-meters and Genna Malapit in women's javelin throw seeing action later Wednesday

"Well, this is a good thing as we will be able to gauge before the Asian Games. We'll face them again there," Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association secretary general Edward Kho told Daily Tribune in a phone conversation.

He said the country hopes to surpass the one gold, one bronze finish it had back in the 2019 Doha edition.

There, the Philippines plucked its honors from atop the pole vault with Ernest John Obiena taking the gold and setting the continental region of 5.71 meters.

Obiena, who has since improved his personal best to 6 meters, will buckle down to work on Sunday.

Natalie Uy took the bronze in Doha but she's skipping the event this time.

SEA Games bronze medalist Frederick Williams is competing in the semifinal of the men's 400m event after getting a time of 46.77 seconds in the heats for a slot in the final Thursday evening.

Maureen Schrijvers was also in the semifinal of the women's 400m event after clocking in 54.69 seconds.

Hurdler Eric Cray is hot on the trail to the Asian Championships gold medal after securing his sixth SEA Games mint last May.

John Cabang will be oozing with confidence in this tournament after resetting the national record in the men's 110m hurdles with 13.67 seconds at the Campeonato de Esukadi in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain over the weekend.

The second day of the competition starts on Thursday at 10 a.m. (Manila time).