National team member Rafael Poliquit Jr., a bright gold medal hope for the Philippines in the coming Southeast Asian Games marathon, passed away on Thursday due to complications from subdural empyema, an infection of the skull bones.
He was 30.
The Philippine Sports Commission’s (PSC) Facebook page confirmed that the three-time Milo Marathon champion and Airman second class died at around 2:21 p.m. at V. Luna Medical Center in Quezon City.
The PSC has already promised to extend assistance to the family of the fallen athlete and soldier.
Poliquit was fancied to win a gold medal in the SEA Games later this year in Subic, along with defending women’s champion Mary Joy Tabal, who relayed the sad news.
He and Tabal wore the Philippine colors in the 2016 Boston Marathon.
The runner posted his personal best of two hours, 28 minutes and 47 seconds in winning last year’s Milo Marathon held in Laoag City.