CAPAS, Philippines – Eric Cray started the day with a major flop, but brushing it off was the best decision as he rebounded with another winning performance in the 4x100m mixed relay event of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games on Sunday, December 8 at New Clark City. 

Cray missed the chance to reclaim his title as the fastest man in Southeast Asia as he was disqualified for a false start in the men’s 100m dash heats. 

But the Filipino-American anchored the star-studded quartet of Eloiza Luzon, Anfernee Lopena and Kristina Knott to 41.67 seconds for the gold. Thailand followed for the silver (41.99s) and Malaysia settled for 3rd (42.40s). 

Hanafi Muhammad Haiqal clinched the men’s 100m dash title in 10.35s, which surpassed the 2017 SEA Games gold medal time of his teammate Khairul Hafiz Jantan (10.38s). 

Pole vaulter Natalie Rose Uy impressed in her debut as she smashed the SEA Games women’s pole vault record by clearing 4.25m to eclipse defending champion Sukanya Chomchuendee’s 2013 mark of 4.21. 

Although she failed to reset her own Philippine record of 4.30m set in the Spanish Club Championships, her gold medal performance allowed the country to sweep the pole vault events, following Tokyo 2020 Olympics-bound EJ Obiena‘s title romp. 

Sarah Dequinan conquered the heptathlon competition when she clocked 2 minutes and 38.44 seconds in the 800m final. 

In the women’s 100m dash, Knott lost to Vietnam’s Tu Chinh Le by a hair as the Filipina clocked 11.55s behind Tu’s 11.54s. – Rappler.com