He’s not backing down (AUGUST 19 - 30)

Eric to compete in two events despite tight schedule

THE tight KL SEA Games athletics schedule will not stop Filipino Eric Shauwn Cray from defending the men’s 100m dash and 400m hurdles golds.

“Yes, Eric will compete in both events despite them being held on the same day. Nothing is going to stop Eric from defending both the events although he will be competing in both events just 30 minutes apart,” said Philippines athletics head coach Sean Guevara after the SEA Games managers’ meeting yesterday.

The men’s 100m and 400m hurdles heats and final will be held on Aug 22 at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

Eric, who is based inn Texas, United States, is inn a fix as the 100m heats willw begin at 3.30pm and the men’s 400m hurdles heats at 4pm.

The 400m hurdles final is slated is at 8.20pm and the 100m showdown is at 9.40pm.

Eric clocked a personal best of 10.25 to win gold in the blue riband event and broke the 400m hurdles SEA Games record by clocking 49.40 at the 2015 Singapore Games. Guevara said the organising committee rejected their appeal to change the dates for the two events.

“But Eric wants to feature in both events. We respect his decision. It will be remarkable if he can retain both the gold medals,” said Guevara.

Eric will start as the favourite to win the 400m hurdles based on his triumph in the 22nd Asian Championships in Bhubaneswar, India, last month with a time of 49.57.

He featured in the World Championships in London last week but was disqualified from the 400m hurdles heats for a false start.

Eric, who clocked 10.20 in a competition in Texas this year, will give a strong challenge to Malaysia’s Khairul Hafiz Jantan in the men’s 100m.

The 19-year-old Khairul holds the national record of 10.18 set in Sukma in Kuching in July last year.