By SURESH NAIR
THE four-letter word “quit” is never in the dictionary of Philippines’ track queen Lydia de Vega, who continues to ply her trade, now coaching the younger generation athletes in Singapore.
It’s a closely guarded secret few know that she has been in Singapore since December 2005 and relishes imparting her regional championship-winning skills especially at the height of her running era in the 1980s when she was revered as Asia’s undisputed fastest woman.
She became the first to win back-to-back gold medals for the 100m dash at the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul, South Korea, where she beat her arch-rival from India, P.T. Usha. Her on-track exploits were the stuff of headlines and victory. But she admits that she has also seen her share of personal loss as well. The mother of three, whom she calls her children “my most precious medals”, suffered the most painful blow when in February 2001, her son, John Michael, then four years, died in a tragic jeepney road accident near their family home at Project 4, Quezon City – a heartbreaking loss she wants to erase from her life.
I was lucky, rather surprised I must say, to meet Lydia recently at a shopping mall in Bishan Junction 8 where she spoke of her 16 years in Singapore and also of the track-mania she created in her hometown, close to the sporting mania of boxing icon Manny Pacquiao. Dare I say he’s probably the most famous Filipino in the world, the professional boxer is the only eight-division world champion which made him popular in the boxing field. He has won several awards for his sport and was also named “Fighter of the Decade” by international boxing organisations.
“I feel blessed in many ways that I’m able to continue with the only sport that I adore and now able to teach the schoolboys and girls in Singapore, where I feel very comfortable,” says the 56-year-old awesome sprinter, who also ran the 1984 Los Angeles and 1988 Seoul Olympic Games (quarter-finals in both Games) and ranked as Asia’s fastest woman for eight years from 1982 to 1990. Her long string of famous medal hauls included two golds and one silver medal in two Asian Games, four golds, one silver and four bronze medals in five Asian track and field meets.
Tracing her track and field rise ranks as a perfect tribute to an extraordinary woman, who was a sterling product of the Palarong Pambansaborn December 12 1964 in Meycauayan Bulacan. Her father was the late Francisco “Tatang”, a police officer whose rigid coaching transformed her to be Philippines’ most successful athlete. Her mother, Mary, gave “Tatang” 10 children and as early as 12 years, her exemplary talent for sprinting was uncovered, in a superlative career that spanned 17 years.
She says: “Sports has had a greatest impact in my life. It gave me the opportunity to bring prestige to my country and moulded me to what I am today. I want my children to experience the same.”
It was in 1982 in the Indian capital of New Delhi that Lydia made heads turn at the Asian Games. She won her heat in the 100m in excellent 11.77s and clipped off another 1/100secs winning the finals from India’s P. T. Usha (11.95s) and South Korea’s Mo Myung Hee (11.99s), both of her opponents never being able to endanger the fleet-footed track queen from the Philippines. But Lydia had to cancel her participation in the 200m due to new pains caused by her old injury after her triumphant showing in the 100m.
The prestigious Philippines Sports Association composed of the country’s sportswriters picked her as “Athlete of the Year” in 1981, 1986 and 1987. She was also inducted to the “Hall of Fame” alongside the famous likes of basketball legends Carlos Loyzaga and Lauro Mumar and fellow trackster Mona Sulaiman.
You will be surprised to know that the good-looking Lydia, after leaving school and taking up Physical Education (PE) studies at the Far Eastern University in Manila, the capital of Philippines, she ventured into acting. And her first superlative movie was one that showcased the powerful athlete from very modest beginnings at grassroots level setting records and winning gold medals. She was a popular figure in the Philippines that in 1983, a movie (Medalyang Ginto – Gold Medal) was shown, based on her true-life story and her achievements and in 2004, another two-part series (Magpakailanman – Forever) was shown in the Philippines (Channel 7) on her lifetime achievements. Even her father when asked about her future plans remarked: “Studies first, sports second and films third.”
Academically, she ranks as an Associate in Arts from the Mount San Antonio College, Walnut, California, USA and a Bachelor of Science In Education, Major in Physical Education, Far Eastern University, Philippines
After she hung up her sprint-shoes, Lydia served as a councilor of her native Meycauayan town in Bulacan province. In early 2005, she was appointed as a liaison officer of the Alliance of Coaches and Athletes of the Philippines with the Philippine Sports Commission. Among her children, only Stephanie made it to the top ranks as a former collegiate volleyball player of the DLSU Lady Spikers.
In my opinion, Lydia ranks as a true-blue Asian track legend – a picture perfect barrio lass who personified the admirable traits of a Filipina – determined, disciplined, religious, coy and stunningly graceful. Although hurting and injured, she is said to have sprinted without complaints in order to represent her country’s honour in overseas race competitions.
What makes her life story more inspiring is that she remained a role model for the Asian youths, which is rare for athletes today who easily succumb to the false lure of glitz, glamour and glory. Perhaps Lydia’s stellar career may have been overshadowed by a country reeling from economic and political turmoil, something which is secondary compared to where she almost single-handedly put Philippines on the world athletics map..
Her achievements in that turbulent period are the country’s few bright spots that shall forever be an inspiring tale for Filipinos.And what I admired about her was in keeping her personal family life as private as possible.
She says: “I take every day as a new challenge to improve myself and in making sure younger athletes learn the right tricks of the athletics trade. It’s a passion I tremendously enjoy and I want to give it my best shot as much as I can.”
* Suresh Nair is a Singapore-based journalist and a Member of the AAA Panel of Media, who salutes the track heroes of yesteryears. He’s also a AFC (Asian Football Confederation) Licenced football coach and AFC Referee Instructor
