Lydia de Vega-Mercado (file photo)
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. mourned Thursday the death of sprint legend Lydia de Vega, saying the athlete “has fought a good fight”.
De Vega’s death after a battle with breast cancer was announced on Wednesday. She was 57.
“I join the entire nation in mourning the untimely demise of former Asian sprint queen Lydia de Vega, after a four-year battle with breast cancer. My sincerest condolences to her family and loved ones,” Marcos Jr. said in a Facebook post.
“Lydia de Vega has run her last race. She has finished her contest. She has fought a good fight. Let us pray for her peace,” the President added.
Marcos remembered how De Vega was once touted as the “fastest woman in Asia.”
The President added that De Vega placed the Philippines in the map of international athletics, citing the athletes victories in the Asian Games and the Southeast Asian Games, among others.
“Lydia was also a two-time Olympian, having represented the Philippines in the 1984 Los Angeles and 1988 Seoul Olympics,” Marcos said.