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Friday, March 29, 2024

Cray streaks to fourth consecutive SEAG gold

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New Clark City—Eric Cray ended days of frustration, bucked a false start by teammate Francis Medina to retain the gold medal in the men’s 400-meter hurdles on Day 5 of the 30th Southeast Asian Games athletics meet at the New Clark City stadium here.

Cray clocked 50.21second when he reached the finish line which was almost two seconds over his 49.40 second performance in 2015.

“This gives me back the love and the excitement that I needed on the track after being down on myself,” said Cray who ruled the event for the fourth consecutive time. He also won gold in Naypyidaw in 2013; in Singapore, 2015; and Kuala Lumpur, 2017.

This gave the Philippines its 10th gold medal, to go with six silvers and six bronzes.

Vietnam is leading in athletics with their 12-11-9 gold-silver bronze haul, with Thailand in second with 12-9-11.

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Meanwhile, Kristina Knott emerged as the most bemedalled member of the Philippine national athletics team after Team Philippines finished with a silver medal in the women’s 4×100 meter relays on Monday night at the New Clark City stadium here.

Knott earned a total of two gold medals and two silvers after four days of the 30th Southeast Asian Games athletics meet, and in record-breaking fashion again.

Thailand’s foursome of On Uma Chattha, Kwonrutai Pakdee, Tassaporn Wannakit and Supawat Thippat finished first in 44.38 meters.

The 24-year old Knott, with teammates Zion Corrales-Nelson, Kayla and Kyla Richardson, settled for the silver in 44.57 seconds, which is a new Philippine record.

This erased the 44.81 seconds clocking of Eloisa Luzon, the Richardson sisters and Nelson when they claimed the bronze medal back in 2017.

Knott said this was the best effort that the team has done since after they were only assembled last week.

“We got around the track, and passed the baton real quick. And this team was just put together last week,” said Knott, who spoke for the team.

This will be Knott’s fourth medal after she took a gold medal in the women’s 200-meter dash in record time as well, and a second gold in the 4×100-meter mixed relays.

A silver medal came in the 100-meter dash. This was after Knott bowed to Vietnam’s Tu Chien Le. Le retained the century dash crown in 11.56 seconds.

Knott earlier captured the gold medal in the women’s 200-meter dash finals. Knott came in fast from the left side of the tartan track at 23.01 seconds and upset Le.

And she made history as Knott broke Asian sprint queen Lydia de Vega-Mercado for the third time this year.

Knott clocked 23.07 seconds to break de Vega-Mercado’s record for the second time in topping the morning heats.

Her clocking shattered the 23.16 second national mark which Zion Corrales-Nelson set back in the NCAA West Preliminary meet in Sacramento, California last May 25.

De Vega-Mercado held the national record of 23.35 seconds for 37 years until Corrales-Nelson and Knott erased it this year.

The SEA Games record used to belong to Khawpeag Supavadee of Thailand when she notched a 23.3 second feat back in 2001.

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