by Waylon Galvez
Former Asia’s sprint queen Lydia de Vega-Mercado believes the country can re-produce its golden years in sports which was highlighted by her winning the 1982 Asian Games gold medal in New Delhi, India.
De Vega said the Southeast Asian Games which the country will be hosting next year is a good starting point for the Philippines to develop top caliber athletes for events like the Asian Games and the Olympics.
“It’s time for them, for everybody to work harder,” said de Vega, a two-time gold medalist in the 100 meter dash in the Asian Games in 1982 in New Delhi, India and in 1986 in Seoul, South Korea.
“There are so many good athletes in the Philippines. So it’s possible to have that ‘golden years’ back in our country, but people will have to work together and work harder,” added de Vega, who now works in Singapore the past 14 years as coach in a secondary school.
De Vega and former world champion bowlers Paeng Nepomuceno and Bong Coo were formally enshrined in the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame on Thursday evening at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.
It was during the their time that the country experienced what many sports aficionados described as the ‘golden years’ of Philippine sports, as de Vega toppled her rivals in athletics while Nepomuceno and Coo reigned the world of bowling.
De Vega, whose record in the 100m still stands in the SEA Games, said she is thankful to the honor given to be with his induction to the Hall of Fame, an event held every two years.
“I’m so honored and happy to be given this award. Only a few are given this prestigious Hall of Fame award. For me to be included to this batch, I’m very thankful,” said de Vega in Filipino.
Other inductees in the third batch of the HoF are former world boxing champion Erbito Salavarria, former baseball and softball great Filomeno ‘Boy’ Codinera, golfer Ben Arda, Lita Dela Rosa of bowling, Loreto Carbonell and Sen. Ambrosio Padilla of basketball, and Josephine dela Vina of athletics.
