CAPAS—Eric Cray got disqualified in the century dash. Kristina Knott was dislodged from an automatic win in the women’s sprint centerpiece.
Disaster it may be, but the two Filipino track stars redeemed themselves for an epic victory in the inaugural staging of the 4×100 mixed gender relay here at the New Clark City on Sunday.
Cray, the multiple SEA Games medallist, and Knott, the 200-meter champion and record-holder, faced individual adversities but gathered the pieces to put up a performance for the books, clocking 41.67 seconds to harvest the host nation’s fourth gold of the day and seventh overall.
Along with Eloiza Luzon and Anfernee Lopena, the pair of Knott and Cray blazed in the third and fourth legs to overcome what seemed an insurmountable lead of the three teams in front.
Knott, the third runner, caught the baton from Lopena–who earlier placed fifth in the men’s century dash–and inch by inch carved the gap en route to a thrilling finish by Cray.
With three female opponents on his sight at his right, Cray, once the fastest man in the region, zoomed through the last 100 meters and left each one of the leaders eating dust.
Thailand finished second with a time of 41.99 seconds, while Malaysia landed in third at 42.40 seconds.
Image credits: Roy Domingo