Athletics chief appeals
to PSC on behalf of Dagmil

BY CHRISTINE MONCADA

ATHLETICS chief Go Teng Kok has appealed to the Philippine Sports Commission to release the allowance of reigning Southeast Asian Games long jump champion Henry Dagmil who is training in the United States in his bid to qualify for the Beijing Olympics in August.

Go said the PSC board has approved P290,000 to finance Dagmil's training in the US but has yet to release the amount pending Dagmil's submission of his liquidation report pertaining to his previous training stint in the US.

The government sports agency is strictly enforcing its "No Liquidation, No Financial Assistance" policy.

"My athlete does not deny it, he has unliquidated accounts. But he said he has already submitted a partial liquidation and he is working on the rest," said Go.

Dagmil left for Los Angeles last month along with hurdler Sheena Atilano. They were recently joined there by long jumper Marestella Torres.

The PSC has released the budget for Torres, while Atilano's training is being backed by Agapito Capistrano of TMS Shipping.

"I'm appealing to the PSC on behalf of my athlete. Sana ma-release na ang allowance niya so as not to put his training for the Olympics in jeopardy," Go said.

Dagmil, Southeast Asian Games back-to-back champion and record-holder (7.87-meters) is bidding to improve his personal best to 8.05-m and make the Olympic standard B grade.

"We're hoping he could qualify so we can give our mandatory slots to other athletes. That way we can have more representatives in the Olympics," Go said.