Cabang, Hoffman await official Olympic entries

John Cabang CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino hurdlers John Cabang and Lauren Hoffman await their official entries to the Paris Olympics which comes off the wraps on July 26.

Cabang and Hoffman finished within the quota rankings of the men's 110m and women's 400m events, respectively, as the Olympic qualification period ended on June 30.

Cabang placed 29th in his event while Hoffman finished 38th in hers, with both of their disciplines set to have athletes who finished in the top 40 advancing to the Paris Games.

The final rankings and qualified athletes for the Games may only be formalized later this week but Cabang and Hoffman should make it.

At 29th in the men's 110m hurdles, Cabang, 22, is highly unlikely to be bumped out of top 40 while Hoffman, 25, will still qualify even if she gets tossed out of the best 40 in the women's 400m.

In that event, the Filipino-American hurdler will advance to the Olympics through a Universality place given to the country's top-ranked athlete in a particular event.

Cabang and Hoffman will most likely be the final two members of the Philippine athlete contingent for the Paris Olympics which has 20 members already.

Meanwhile, Tokyo Olympian Kristina Knott is also inside of the women's 200m rankings quota albeit she's in danger of bombing out since she's the last athlete in the top 48.

Gilas Pilipinas is also vying for that coveted Olympic spot in men's basketball but the chances for the nationals to make it is realistically low. The Filipino dribblers need to be the champions of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Latvia from July 2 to 7 no less to make the Games.

Fell short

Other Philippine bets Robyn Brown, Janry Ubas, and Rio Olympian Eric Cray fell short of advancing to the Paris Olympics.

Hoffman is 47th in the women's 400m hurdles rankings, while Cray is 47th in the men's division where only the top 40 will be given Olympic berths.

Ubas is 44th in the men's long jump where only the top 32 will advance to the Paris Games.

The only way Brown, Ubas, and Cray will make the Olympics is if there would be significant withdrawal of participation from qualified athletes that will enable them to make the quota of their respective events but this is highly unlikely.

Thus far, only pole vaulter Ernest John 'EJ' Obiena from the Philippine athletics team has secured a Paris Olympic spot.

Obiena made his second straight Olympic qualification after acing the entry height of 5.82 meters at the Bauhaus Galan in Stockholm, Sweden last July, becoming the first Filipino athlete to make the Paris Games in the process.