Gung-ho Cray gets it done as promised

NAYPYITAW—Eric Shauwn Cray delivered what he promised Tuesday, topping the men’s 400-meter hurdles to give the Philippines its third athletics gold medal at the 27th Southeast Asian Games.

The Filipino-American clocked a relaxed 51.29 seconds in beating Indonesia’s Andrian Andrian (51.74) and Vietnam’s Xuan Cuong Dao (51.79).

“I knew I’m going to get the gold because God gave me the ability to win,” said the three-time All-American from University of Oklahoma.

And Cray claimed he didn’t even push himself to prevail.

“I wasn’t aiming for the record, so I didn’t go out fast,” said the 25-year-old, who lives with his Filipino mother, Maria, in San Antonio, Texas.

Chanan Keanchan of Thailand holds the meet record of 49.76 seconds. He achieved the mark in 1995 in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

“I’m getting ready for the Asian Games,” said Cray, whose personal best is 50.4 seconds.

The Philippine National Games champion scooted past Dao, the 2011 winner, and three other runners going to the last 100 meters and improved his leading 52.81 clocking in the morning heats.

Cray goes for his second gold Thursday in the 110m hurdles and could join the 4×400 relay team later on the same day.

Henry Dagmil earlier won the men’s long jump and Archand Christian Bagsit prevailed in the 400m.

For the second straight time, Mervin Guarte pocketed the silver in the men’s 800m. He limped off the track due to an injury in his right foot.

“It was close but my foot acted up again,” said Guarte, a former Palarong Pambansa champion from Oriental Mindoro.

The NCAA middle-distance champion from San Sebastian College timed 1:51.51, behind winner Mohd Jironi Riduan of Malaysia (1:50.98).

Vietnam’s Van Thai Duong, who won the event two years ago, placed third this time (1:51.62).