Daily Tribune (Philippines)

King of hurdles

There are lot of bad times, especially when I got disqualifi­ed

- By Elmer Manuel @tribunephl_lmer

CAPAS CITY — Doubts were raised when Eric Cray was slapped with false starts in his very first event in the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

But it didn’t take long for him to shut down his doubters.

Cray, the Filipino-American sensation, set the track on fire as he cemented his title as the “king of hurdles” following a thrilling victory in the men’s 400-meter hurdles event of the 30th Southeast Asian Games last night at the New Clark City Athletics Stadium here.

The 31-year-old former University of Texas-El Paso star clocked 50.21 seconds to claim the gold medal, leaving behind Cong Lich Quach of Vietnam and Francis Medina of the Philippine­s, who registered 51.60 seconds and 51.68 seconds for the silver and bronze medals, respective­ly.

His victory came at the heels of the successful performanc­e of Aries Toledo in the men’s decathlon competitio­n.

Toledo garnered a total score of 7,033 to claim the gold medal while Vietnam’s Yan Su Bui scored a total 6,911 and Janry Ubas of the Philipines collected 6,769 points for the silver and bronze medals, respective­ly.

Still, Cray was the toast of the night. Running on Lane 4, Cray took the lead in the final turn before pulling away from the pack in the final hurdle to cross the finish line alone amid a jubilant cheering from the partisan crowd.

It was his first individual gold medal following a record-breaking feat in the 4x100-meter mixed relay the other day.

More than that, it completely buried his horror performanc­e in the preliminar­y heat of the men’s 100-meter dash — his pet event — where he was slapped with two false starts that led to his disqualifi­cation.

“I’m so happy. I’ve been playing it down for the last two years and a lot of people are looking at me,” said Cray, who has yet to relinquish his crown as the ruler in the men’s 400-meter hurdles, a feat that he first claimed in the 2013 edition of the SEA Games in Myanmar.

“There are lot of bad times, especially when I got disqualifi­ed,” said Cray. “But I did not put pressure on myself. When it comes to these games — especially at home — and getting disqualifi­ed and not getting the win, it could sound horrible.”

“I am trying to put it behind me, and I am just so happy right now,” he added.

Meanwhile, Mark Harry Diones leaped to a silver medal finish in the men’s triple jump, registerin­g a distance of 16.42 meters behind gold medalist Malaysia while Joida Gagnao clinched the silver in the women’s 3,000 meters steeplecha­se.

I am trying to put it behind me, and I am just so happy right now.

In the men’s discus throw, William Morrison threw 51.38 meters to settle for the silver medal.

In the women’s 400-meter hurdles, Robyn Brown also bagged the bronze medal after finishing behind the Vietnamese tracksters.

Gagnao also finished with the bronze in the women’s 5,000-meter run earlier in the day.

The women’s 4x400-meter relay team snatched the bronze medal as the quartet of Eloiza Luzon, Jessel Lumapas, Maureen Emily Schrijvers and Brown managed to overtake Indonesia in the last 200 meters.

In the men’s 4x400-meter relay, the team composed of Joyme Sequita, Frederick Ramirez, Edgardo Alejan Jr. and Michael del Prado put up a gallant stand in the end to snatch the bronze medal.

The Philippine­s shut down its SEA Games participat­ion with 11 gold, seven silver and eight bronze medals, which is regarded as one of its most successful participat­ions ever.

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