Obstacle course racing finally finds place in the sporting sun
THE sport of obstacle course racing (OCR) in the country is steadily getting its legs, something proponents of it are very happy and excited about.
Part of the 56 sports featured later this year in the Southeast Asian Games which the Philippines is hosting, people who are championing OCR locally said it is a recognition that they surely welcome as it validates what they always knew about the sport’s potential.
“The past two years saw the growth of obstacle course racing in the Philippines. We started small in 2017 but now we are pretty huge. The vision is now a reality. We dreamt of being part of the SEA Games, and now it’s here. Hopefully next is the Olympics,” said Al Agra, president of the Pilipinas Obstacle Sports Federation (POSF), the governing sports association for Obstacle Sports/ Obstacle Course Racing in the Philippines.
Speaking at the media launch of Pretty Huge Obstacles, an indoor obstacle course training facility which would serve as the official cross-training venue of national athletes, including the Philippine OCR team, Mr. Agra said they in the federation are appreciative of the “blessings” the sport has been getting.
Mr. Agra shared that the recognition they got from the sporting bodies in the country, particularly the Philippine Olympic Committee, has allowed them to expand their program and mission, including the institution of a ranking system among athletes and certification of coaches.
For the SEA Games, Mr. Agra said they are aiming to do well, if possible win all the six gold medals up for grabs in the OCR event.
“We will strive for six gold medals. We have the facility, the whole cycle, and the whole aspects,” said Mr. Agra when asked of their expectations in their SEA Games debut.
He added that this early the national team is preparing hard to have a good showing in the Games.
Apart from training locally, team members are slated to train abroad along with some of the top OCR racers in the world.
The 2019 SEA Games takes place from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11 with Obstacle Course events slated to take place in Subic, Zambales. —