SIEM REAP—Eric Shaun Cray further cemented his reign as king of the men’s 400 meters hurdles with a golden performance on Thursday at the Morodok Techno National Stadium in Phnom Penh.
Cray, 34 and running with a nagging sports hernia, clocked 50.03 seconds to again rule his favorite event. He beat Thailand’s Natthapon Dansungnoen (50.73) and Singapore’s Calvin Quek (50.75).
The Philippines’ other entry, Alhryan Labita, placed seventh in 53.89.
Cray’s time, however, was below his own Philippine record of 48.98 he set at the World Athletics World Challenge in Moratalaz, Madrid, in 2016.
But it was enough to give him a sixth straight 400 meters hurdles title and his eighth gold medal overall to crown himself as the most successful track athlete in the history of the SEA Games.
Cray won the centerpiece 100 meters in 2015 in Singapore and was part of the 4×100 mixed relay team in 2019 at New Clark City.
“This means everything,” said Cray, catching his breath as a swarm of reporters surrounded him. “This is a product of hard work, dedication.”
“You know, we just showed a lot of perseverance. I have a lot of drive, dedication for 10 years, ups and downs after injuries and everything I’ve been through,” said Cray, who is aching to make a return to the Olympics, to be held in Paris 2024.
The next step is the Asian Championships, which is a qualifying tournament for the Olympiad.
“That (Olympics) is the goal,” said Cray, who is still undecided on whether to shoot for 7th straight 400m hurdles gold when the biennial meet is held in Thailand in 2025.
“I gotta qualify first in Paris, then I’ll take it from there,” he said.
The athletics team’s two other golds were courtesy of Ernest John Obiena’s record leap in pole vault and Janry Ubas in long jump.
Cray’s gold was the third for the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association headed by Terry Capistrano after Ernest John Obiena’s games record in pole vaulty and Janry Ubas in long jump.
Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Carlo Paalam, meanwhile, dominated Edegar Foe Quintas Da Silva of Timor Leste to barge into the finals of boxing at the Chroy Changvar Center Hall G.
Paalam, 24, looked invincible in all three rounds to score a unanimous 5-0 victory over Da Silva in the semifinal of their men’s bantamweight duel.
He’s now assured of a silver medal just like seven of his teammates who advanced to the gold medal round ahead of him.
Paul Julyfer Bascon knocked out Touch Davit of Cambodia in the second round to also enter in the men’s light welterweight final for another guaranteed silver medal.
Markus Cezar Tongco, however, lost to Manh Cuong Nguyen of Vietnam in the men’s heavyweight semifinal via referee stoppage to settle for a bronze medal.
The finals are set Saturday and Sunday.
With Josef Ramos
Image credits: Rot Domingo