CAPAS, Tarlac — Filipino-American hurdler Eric Cray is hinting at retirement as he guns for his seventh straight gold medal in the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand from 9 to 20 December.

Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (Patafa) president Terry Capistrano revealed that the 36-year-old Cray is preserving his energy by selecting tournaments he will compete in as preparation for the biennial meet.

“Every other year, he’s the defending champion. He said that this SEA Games might probably be his last and he is preserving his body for that tournament,” Capistrano said in a news briefing at the sidelines of the ICTSI Philippine Athletics Championships at the New Clark City on Thursday here.

“He has been a regular fixture in the competition.”

Playing in the men’s 400-meter hurdles, the Filipino-American from Texas has been an imposing force in the track oval as he won in 2013 in Naypyidaw, 2015 in Singapore, 2017 in Kuala Lumpur, 2019 in Manila, 2022 in Hanoi, and 2023 in Phnom Penh.

Cray, who also competed in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, also clinched two gold medals in the men’s 100m in 2015 and the 4x400m mixed relay with Eloiza Luzon, Anfernee Lopena and Kristina Knott in 2019.

He, however, opted to skip the Patafa-organized trackfest where the likes of national athletes like John Cabang, Lauren Hoffman, and Robyn Brown are competing.

Patafa secretary general Jasper Tanhueco said they are in constant communication with Cray to make sure he will be able to go out with a bang in the coming edition of the SEA Games.

“We are in communication with Eric Cray. He will prepare for this SEA Games as this is his last hurrah,” Tanhueco said.