Long jumper Janry Ubas nails gold in Kazakhstan to boost last push for Paris Olympics

Filipino long jumper Janry Ubas rules the XXXIII Qosanov Memorial in Almaty, Kazakhstan, to gain valuable points for his Paris Olympics bid

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino long jumper Janry Ubas is making a last push for the Paris Olympics after ruling the XXXIII Qosanov Memorial in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on Sunday, June 23.

Ubas finished with 7.56m, edging Georgia’s Lasha Gulelauri to capture the gold and gain valuable points in the world rankings.

Gulelauri settled for silver with 7.31m, while Kyrgyzstan’s Timur Isakov bagged bronze with 7.23m.

Ubas sits at 43rd in the world rankings and needs to make the 32-man cutoff to punch his ticket to the Paris Games.

Serbia’s Strahinja Jovancevic owns the 32nd spot with 1,204 points – 25 points head of Ubas.

Thirteen athletes have earned their Olympic berths by clearing the qualifying standard of 8.27m, while the 19 next-best athletes through the world rankings – a maximum of three per country – will complete the 32-man cast.

Ubas will get his last shot at Paris when he competes in the Silk Road to Olympics that will be staged in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from Friday, June 28, to Saturday, June 29.

Also hoping to make the Philippines’ Olympic roster through the world rankings are Lauren Hoffman (women’s 400m hurdles), John Tolentino (men’s 110m hurdles), and Kristina Knott (women’s 200m).

So far, pole vaulter EJ Obiena is the only Filipino track and field athlete who has qualified for Paris. – Rappler.com