Cray among SEAG’s top 10 athletes

FILIPINO-AMERICAN Eric Shauwn Cray displays the national flag after landing the gold in the men’s 400m hurdles. RAFFY LERMA

FIL-AM  champion hurdler and sprinter Eric Cray was honored as  one of the 10 most outstanding athletes in the recent Southeast Asian Games, according to the Games’ website.

For winning the men’s 100-meter dash and setting a new record in the 400-meter hurdles, the Texas-based Cray landed among the elite athletes in the biennial Games, a first for a Filipino since swimmer Eric Buhain dominated the scene in the early ’90s.

“Philippine track and field is very happy for him, we hope it sparks new interest in the sport especially in the grassroots where young athletes look up to Eric Cray as their hero,” said Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association president Philip Ella Juico yesterday.

Cray and Kayla Anise Richardson gave the Philippines a historic century dash sweep in the recent Games, aside from resetting the Games record in 400m hurdles with a time of 49.40 seconds.

That same time also enabled the 26-year-old Cray to qualify in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Cray was the only Filipino to win two golds in Singapore.

Juico said they are preparing a special program for Cray ahead of the Olympics, but won’t discuss the details. He said the Patafa is also supporting Mary Joy Tabal, Marestella Torres and EJ Obiena in their bids to qualify for Rio.  Marc Anthony Reyes