LYDIA DE VEGA MERCADO - THE FASTEST WOMAN IN ASIA A FILIPINO MATTERS TRIBUTE

Lydia De Vega - The ‘Filipina Iron’ Lady

Lydia de Vega was born on December 26, 1964 in Meycauayan, Bulacan. The Asia’s sprint queen of the eighties became the country’s first woman to run and compete in the Olympics. First, she was sent to the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and later in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul.

Lydia De Vega, fondly called “Diay,” earned the name “Asia’s fastest sprinter” in her time after carrying-off an impressive gold medal award in the 100 meter dash in the 1982 New Delhi Asiad. She defeated India’s P. T. Usha in the 1986 Seoul Asiad’s 100 meter dash with an imposing record of 11.53 seconds to grab another gold medal.

In the same Seoul meet, she also bagged the silver medal in the 200-meter race. She brought home two gold medals in the 1981 Manila SEA Games, earning her the honor of “Athlete of the Year” from the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA). She was also given the same PSA tribute in 1986 and 1987.

Before she decided to retire, she won another gold medal in the sprint race in the 1993 Singapore SEA Games. And after hanging her sneakers, she became a councilor in her hometown and also served as a sports consultant of her province, sharing her talent, skill and experience to future Filipino sprinters.

During the twilight years of Martial Law, Lydia de Vega electrified the imagination of a nation that was thirsty for heroes. While her people were cowed and subdued by an oppressive regime, Lydia stood toe-to-toe with Asia’s best runners and broke into the elite racing club with a string of gold medals and regional records.

She is 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 honor in overseas race competitions.

What makes her life story more inspiring is that she remained a role model for the youth, which is rare for athletes today who easily succumb to the false lure of glitz, glamour and glory. Lydia de Vega’s stellar career may have been overshadowed by a country reeling from economic and political turmoil.

But her achievements in that turbulent period are the country’s few bright spots that shall forever be an inspiring tale for Filipinos.