By Nick Giongco
Fil-Am sprinter Eric Cray got disqualified in the morning heats of the 100-meter dash Sunday in the 30th Southeast Asian Games, leaving the Philippines one less gold medal potential in the athletics competitions at the New Clark City Athletics Stadium.
Eric Cray (002) (Contributed photo)
Cray, 31, was up against a batch of speedsters who were in their 20s and there was suspicion that he worried about getting upstaged.
Heat No. 2, which he belonged in, was topped by 25-year-old Thai Sowan Ruttanapon, who timed in at 10.34 seconds. Second went to Hanari Haiqal, 20, who submitted a time of 10.39. Indonesian Abina Bisma Diwa, 24, was third with a clocking of 10.72.
Cray’s best time for the event is 10.26 set during the 2015 SEA Games in Singapore.
Luckily, another Filipino entry, Anfernee Lopena, qualified in the finals after a 10.61.
The SEAG champion in the century dash and 400 hurdles in the 2015 Singapore SEAG and gold medalist as well in the 400 hurdles in Kuala Lumpur two years ago and as far back as 2013 in Naypidaw, Cray was tightlipped about his DQ.
Apparently, getting debarred is nothing new to the 31-year-old Cray, who was born in Olongapo, Zambales.
In the 2017 world championships in London, Cray was DQd for the same infraction in the heats of the 400 hurdles, an unusual occurrence, since DQs are ordinarily slapped in shorter sprint races.
A keen observer of Philippine athletics feels Cray might have been scared of getting blown away by the younger generation in the 100.
Still, Cray has three remaining chances to make up for his blunder since he is also entered in the 400 hurdles, 4×100 men and 4×100 mixed relay.
Source: Manila Bulletin
Xtra Sports ph 