Lydia fires up athletes

LYDIA de Vega-Mercado (4th from left, 2nd row) joins fellow sports legends and ranking officials in sending off the national athletes to the 30th SEA Games. ROMAN PROSPERO @tribunephl_RRP

Former Asian sprint queen Lydia de Vega-Mercado witnessed how lucky the Filipino athletes are today following a memorable send off party for the Philippine contingent that will see action in the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

De Vega-Mercado was part of the festivities Wednesday night at the newly-refurbished Ninoy Aquino Stadium that was also attended by her fellow sports icons and contemporaries like Elma Muros-Posadas, bowling legends Paeng Nepomuceno and Bong Coo, Asia’s first grand master Eugene Torre and 1996 Atlanta Olympics silver medalist Mansueto Velasco.

“Back in our day, we do not have this much festivities. You are very lucky to have this kind of celebration and sponsors,” de Vega-Mercado, who was hailed as the Asia’s sprint queen back in the 1980s, told the athletes.

Hundreds of athletes, para-athletes and coaches who will compete in the upcoming 2019 SEA Games attended the send-off party organized by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) led by chairman William ‘Butch’ Ramirez.

Aside from Ramirez, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham Tolentino and Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee chairman Rep. Alan Cayetano also joined the event to give their morale support to Team Philippines.

“Let us show how great the Filipino athletes are, let us show them that we can be number one again,” Tolentino said.

The POC chief also revealed that aside from the cash incentives, which will be given by the PSC to the winning athletes, the POC will also reward those who will emerge with medals.

“This is for the people and our athletes. We are not simply after the cash prize or the medal, but we are after showing our pride that we can compete internationally,” Cayetano said.

“Why not start giving incentives to our athletes when they are just starting small, this will motivate our athletes to give their best shot whenever they compete.”

The country will host the 11-nation conclave with 56 sports and 530 events.

The last time the Philippines hosted the biennial meet was in 2005, where it also emerged as the overall champion.