Philippines’ John Tolentino (C) celebrates winning his heat in the men’s 110m hurdles event at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou in China’s eastern Zhejiang province on October 1, 2023. (Photo by William WEST / AFP)
Out of top-level action since the Paris Olympics, John Cabang Tolentino is just raring to go again.
“It’s a tough injury, I was out for eight months,” Tolentino told the Inquirer recently. “Now that I’m back, I just want to recover 100 percent. I have big dreams, but I will go step by step.”
The 23-year-old Filipino-Spanish hurdler injured his hip adductors in last year’s Games and was unable to race in the repechage of the men’s 110-meter hurdles at Stade de France.
Since then, Tolentino was forced to to a hiatus before finally testing himself in the ICTSI Philippine Athletics Championships two weeks ago at New Clark City Athletics Stadium in Capas, Tarlac. where he narrowly defeated Clinton Bautista at the line.
Joining EJ
Although the race was tight, that result sort of announced his readiness for the coming Asian Athletics Championships on May 27 to May 31 in Gumi, South Korea
“I have to train a little bit more before the Asian champs and get my speed back,’’ said Tolentino, who holds the national record of 13.37 seconds after resetting his own standard thrice over the past two years.
Tolentino will join fellow Paris Olympians EJ Obiena (men’s pole vault) and Lauren Hoffman (women’s 400m hurdles) in the continental championships together with reigning women’s 400m hurdles champion Robyn Brown as the top PH representatives in Korea. INQ
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