Eric Shauwn Cray has won the Philippines’ first gold at the Asian Athletics Championships 400-meter hurdles event in India.
The Filipino-American athlete finished with the best time of 49.57 in the finals against the meet’s top 7 athletes.
The 29-year- old Cray ruled his 400m hurdles heat with a time of 50.85 before clinching the gold at the finals.
The 22 nd edition of the Asian Athletics Championships also awarded two other Filipino athletes.
Mark Harry Diones bagged the silver medal at the Men’s Triple Jump finals event with a 16.45 meter finish.
Ernest John Obiena picked up the bronze medal at the Men’s Pole Vault finishing at 5.50 meters.
The Rio Olympian is touted as Asia’s top 400-meter hurdler and 100-meter dash sprinter after he clinched the 28 th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games golds in the two events in 2015.
The track and field athlete who was raised and competed in tracks in the United States chose to don the Philippine colors after his Filipina mother swayed him, according to a media report.
“It was also embracing a part of my heritage. And I was born in Olongapo so it’s fine. It also meant doing something for the Philippines,” Cray told Rappler.
The Fil-Am athlete first represented the Philippines at the 2013 World Championships in Athletics.
Cray will next defend his SEA Games titles in the 400m and 100m hurdles this August.
