On another slow day for Team Philippines, Eric Cray provides a golden moment


Eric Cray won his gold medal in 400 men hurdles, his six seagame gold medal in the same category held at Morodok Techno National Stadium

Eric Cray wins the gold medal in 400 males’s hurdles, his sixth SEA Video games, in the identical class. –POOL PHOTO

Eric Cray has run the 400-meter hurdles within the Southeast Asian (SEA) Video games six instances. He received the gold every time.

The 34-year-old Filipino-American monitor star lay declare to the tag because the occasion’s best athlete within the area after leaving the sector swallowing his mud on Thursday at Morodok Techo Nationwide Stadium right here in Cambodia.

And after crossing the end line, he referenced an undisputed GOAT (best of all time) of one other sport, Michael Jordan, yelling his identify and holding up six fingers to characterize his profession complete golds on the 400-m hurdles and the Chicago Bulls’ legend’s profession championship rings within the Nationwide Basketball Affiliation.

“It’s my sixth and it means all the pieces,” Cray, gulping down breaths of air, instructed reporters after the race. “All of the laborious work, the dedication, the accidents, all the pieces I’ve been by … [was worth it].’’

No. 7 unsure

Eric Cray won his gold medal in 400 men hurdles, his six seagame gold medal in the same category held at Morodok Techno National Stadium

Eric Cray wins the gold medal in 400 males’s hurdles, his sixth SEA Video games, in the identical class. –POOL PHOTO

Cray, who owns the SEA Video games report within the occasion, completed in 50.03 seconds. Thailand’s Natthapon Dansungnoen (50.73) completed with the silver whereas Singapore’s Calvin Quek (50.75) took the bronze.

The Philippines’ different entry, Alhryan Labita positioned seventh in 53.89.

“ the perseverance that I’ve, the drive and dedication for 2 years and the ups and downs. It’s laborious, however God is on my facet the entire method. I’m so comfortable to maintain going,’’ stated Cray.

He rewarded the Philippine monitor and subject staff with a 3rd gold medal after EJ Obiena’s three-peat in males’s pole vault and the victory of Janry Ubas in lengthy leap.

Cray soaked within the magnitude of his feat within the biennial meet however couldn’t say if he shall be gunning for a seventh gold two years from now in Thailand.

“If God retains you operating quick sufficient to compete, who is aware of possibly seven,’’ stated Cray.

After his stint right here, Cray will practice his sights on qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

His first cease would be the Asian championships, a qualifying match for the Summer time Video games that shall be held in Thailand from July 12 to 16.

“That (Olympics) is the aim,” stated Cray. “I gotta qualify first in Paris, then I’ll take it from there.”

“I’m feeling nice, prepared for the Asian champs and the Asian Video games,’’ he added. Cray has to cut a couple of extra treasured seconds off his SEA Video games time to guide a ticket to Paris. The Olympic qualifying normal is 48.70 seconds. His private finest is presently at 48.98.

Sports activities hernia

Kristian Narca. –POOL PHOTO

Kristian Narca. –POOL PHOTO

“I hope to be 100% earlier than the Asian champs the place the window will open up. That’s the aim,’’ stated Cray, who missed the 2021 Tokyo Olympics as a result of accidents and the restrictions that COVID-19 imposed on him whereas coaching in Europe.

“I’m cool about returning to the Olympics, however I’ve to be in nice form throughout the qualifiers.’’ The previous Asian champion was additionally compelled to skip the Asian Indoor Athletics Championship in Kazakhstan early this yr after affected by sports activities hernia, a painful smooth tissue damage within the groin space.

“I caught it earlier than the Asian indoor the place I wasn’t capable of compete. I’ve been coping with the ache ever since, but it surely’s bearable,’’ stated the Texas-based Cray, who has received eight gold medals within the SEA Video games since 2013 in Myanmar, together with one within the 100m (2015) and within the 4×100-m relay (2019).

Cray supplied a ray of sunshine on a day that appeared just like the Philippines could be reaching for silver linings—together with the promise of gold.

Tokyo Olympian Carlo Paalam reached the ultimate of the boys’s 54-kilogram boxing competitors after destroying Timor Leste’s Edegar Foe Quintas da Silva, 5-0, throughout their semifinal encounter at Chroy Changvar Conference Heart: Corridor G on Thursday.

Paalam will lead seven Filipino boxers, who’re assured of silvers, within the hunt for a gold medal.

Kristian Narca, in the meantime, settled for silver after shedding to Cambodia’s Laingkousin Khun, 30-27, within the males’s 57-kg class of “kun khmer,” a standard martial artwork of the host nation, on the Elephant Corridor of Morodok Sports activities Advanced.

Narca hit the deck within the second spherical and got here out much more aggressive within the third by delivering a number of kicks to Khun’s physique.

The Philippines additionally notched a silver medal in cricket courtesy of the ladies’s 6-a-side staff.



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