Eight Negrenses are part of the Philippine athletics team bound for the Southeast Asian Games in Ratchasima Nakhon , Thailand .

They will be led by SEA Games hammer throw king Arniel Ferrera of Cauayan, who is gunning for his third gold medal in the biennial meet, after winning in the Vietnam and Manila editions.

The other Negrenses in the team are Jerro Perater (men's hammer throw), Rosie Villarito (women's javelin) and Loralie Amahit (women's hammer throw) of Binalbagan, Himamaylan's Julius Sermona (5k and 10k races), Escalante's Arnold Villarube (decathlon and 4x100), Joebert Delicano of Victorias (long jump and triple jump) and La Carlota's Sheena Atilano (110-m hurdles), Ferrera said.

Ferrera said he is upbeat of their team's chances of surpassing its nine-gold haul in the previous SEA Games, where he established a new meet record of 60.45-m on his way to the gold.

“So far, so good,” he said of their preparations for the 11-country sports conclave.

Ferrera said he is nearing peak form and has high hopes of improving his record, although he remains wary of his rivals from Indonesia and Malaysia .

Ferrera singled out Indon Dodong Suhenri, fourth placer in the 2005 SEAG, as a threat to his reign but “Indonesian athletics officials dismissed him as a contender because he is semi-retired”

“I don't believe them. Some countries keep their athletes away from pre-SEAG events so they won't be scouted,” said Ferrera, who won the gold in the Thailand Open last month.

Ferrera added, though, that the usual problems in training like the late arrival of supplies could hurt his chances.

“They (Philippine athletics officials) have yet to give me my uniforms and shoes,” he said. “We need to get used to our equipment because it affects our performance”.

The Cauayan-born athlete said the Thailand Open may turn out to be their last warm up event before plunging into action in the SEA Games since the Philippine Air Force team, which he belongs has yet to confirm its participation in the finals of the Philippine Olympic Festival next week.*CPT

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