The trainer of Filipino-Canadian sprinter Jami Dawn Henares, the lone entry from Bacolod City in the Philippine Olympic Festival finals in Manila next week, said her ward is ready for battle, five days before the competition kicks off at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

“She has the right mindset and is very focused,” trainer Franklin Echevarria said of Henares, who won two golds and a silver in the POF Visayas Qualifiers in Iloilo City in September.

“She is well-prepared and in control, although she is a little nervous,” Echevarria said.

In the POF qualifiers, Henares, 15, topped the 400 meters, clocking a minute and .01 second, then bagged another gold in the 200m with a time of 27.2. She finished second in the 100m event, losing to Capiz' Jenelyn Progio, who timed 13.435 against Henares' 13.436.

Henares, a high school junior at Destiny Christian Academy , has the best seed time in the 400m for the POF finals, Echevarria said.

The trials are scheduled Nov. 15, while the semifinals and the finals will be held in the next two days.

Echevarria said the POF will serve as qualifying for the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in London .

After intense training the past few weeks, Henares will begin tapering off today. Echevarria said they will be training at the Rizal Memorial oval today to adapt to the competition venue.

Echevarria said Klarriz Posadas, daughter of athletics legend, Elma Muros, and runners from Ilocos are also among the favorites in Henares' events.

“Jami is confident,” he added. *CPT

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