CAPAS, Tarlac — Adding age group categories in the ICTSI Philippine Athletic Championships presented by the Philippine Sports Commission is sowing seeds for the future, according to Philippine Athletics president (Patafa) Terry Capistrano.

“We want to cultivate and nurture our promising young athletes who will become our next generation of elite campaigners in the future,” said Capistrano at a press conference here in the meet co-presented by the BCDA and New Clark City.

“This is why the competition that usually lasts three to four days has been added an extra day.”

After focusing on elite athletes, the athletics chief noted that “we have been investing part of our resources over the last two years on our youth, and we are surprised that some of them are achieving podium finishes abroad.”

Among the prominent young standouts is Naomi Cesar, 17, who bagged the women’s 800-meter gold medal in the 33rd Thailand Southeast Asian Games last December.

Patafa secretary general Jasper Tanhueco, who was also present at the occasion, also cited javelin thrower Ana Bianca Espenilla and steeplechaser Jerico Cadag, who bagged a silver and bronze medal, respectively, at the last Asian Under-20 Athletic Championships in Hong Kong.

Espenilla also set a new national U20 and personal best of 52.20 meters as the country wound up as the best Southeast Asian performer in the tournament.

“These are the guys who will be stepping up for our country in the future,” Tanhueco, who was the national contingent head at the Hong Kong meet, said.

Cesar, Espenilla, Jeralyn Rodriguez, a 33rd Southeast Asian Games women’s 400-meter bronze medalist, and hurdler Ivan Cabanda have qualified and will represent the country in the World Athletics U20 Championships from 5 to 9 August in Eugene, Oregon, Tanhueco revealed.

On the other hand, Cesar and 200-meter runner Pi Durden Wangkay are joining the national contingent to the Summer Youth Olympic Games from 31 October to 13 November in Dakar, Senegal.

Both Capistrano and Tanhueco also mentioned the Patafa Weekly Relays, a series of races that is the centerpiece of the association’s grassroots program that runs from 14 to 16 weeks.

“Numerous athletes compete in the Patafa Weekly Relays as they compete in the U18, U20 categories,” said Tanhueco of the series that has been cited by World Athletics as an ideal vehicle for developing and promoting track and field.

“The series becomes a scouting ground where big schools can recruit promising athletes and offer them scholarships.”