PH athletics on the right track, says legend Lydia de Vega-Mercado

Eric Shauwn Cray of the Philippines carries the flag after his gold medal at the 28th SEA Games Men’s 100m finals held at the National Stadium, Singapore Sports Hub. INQUIRER PHOTO/RAFFY LERMA

SINGAPORE—From the standpoint of former Asian sprint queen Lydia de Vega-Mercado, the Philippine athletics team is on the right track.

De Vega, now 50, was in the stands when the country pulled off a sprint double through Filipino-Americans Eric Cray in the men’s race and Kayla Richardson in the women’s contest of the 28th Southeast Asian Games here on Tuesday and said she’s personally upbeat on the future of the sport.

“The talent is there and they have the potential to do better,” said De Vega, the continent’s fastest woman in the ’80s, after watching the national tracksters compete at the National Stadium.

“They’ll improve along the way.”

Melvin Guarte managed to get only the silver medal in the men’s 1,500 meters after Vietnam’s Thai Duong scooted past the Mindoro-born long-distance runner at the final 100m mark. Duong clocked a personal best 3:47.04 while Guarte, who also placed second in the 800m, timed 3:48.06.

The men’s 4 x 400-meter relay squad also settled for the silver, losing by photo-finish to Thailand while Patrick Unson salvaged a bronze in the men’s 110 hurdles with a time of 14.12,

Thrower Caleb Stuart also came up short in men’s discus, finishing fourth with a 49.37-meter throw.