LINGAYEN -- The three-day Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (Patafa) National Open Invitational Athletics Championships will start Saturday.

The international athletics tournament will be held at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center. The opening ceremonies will be held at 9:30 a.m. But games will officially start as early as 6 a.m.

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Philippine Olympic Committee President Jose Cojuangco Jr., Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Harry Angpin, Patafa president Go Teng Kok, and Patafa Chairman Dagupan City Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. will lead the opening ceremonies.

Pangasinan Governor Amado T. Espino Jr. will deliver the keynote speech.

The Provincial Government and the City of Dagupan have joined forces for the hosting of the Patafa National Open Invitational Athletics Championships.

Provincial Administrator Rafael Baraan said the participating athletes come from Thailand, Singapore, Brunei, Taipei, South Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Indonesia.

The local teams come from premier schools such as the University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University, Colegio de San Juan de Letran, De La Salle University College of St. Benilde, San Sebastian College, Far Eastern University, University of Baguio, Philippine Airforce, Philippine Army, Philippine Navy, and other leading universities and colleges in Visayas and Mindanao region.

The province of Pangasinan will be represented by the athletes of the Virgen Milagrosa University Foundation based in San Carlos City.

The hundreds of ace athletes will compete in different athletic events like long jump, high jump, javelin, hammer throw, decathlon, men's marathon, shot put, pole vault, 3000 steeplecase, discus throw, 10,000 walk, 20,000 walk, 100 meter dash (md), 200 md, 400 md, 110 m hurdles, 800 meter run (mr), 1500 mr, 4x100m relay, 4x400m relay and triple jump. (LCMY/Sunnex)