HISTORY OF ATHLETICS IN THE PHILIPPINES

It’s no secret that the Philippines has fallen greatly behind other countries on the
international stage, particularly the Olympics. As time goes on, this trend continues to
unfold, with our best athletes falling further and further behind the elusive Olympic Gold
Medal. The Philippines has won 2 medals in Track & Field. But the last medal was
outside present memory almost 80 years ago. They came in 1932 from High Jumper
Simeon Toribio and 1936 from 400 Hurdler Miguel White. The number of Olympians in
Athletics has been declining to the point where we now rely on token entries, apart from
Marestella recently, who qualified.
The First time the Philippines played in the Olympics was in 1924. As we were new to
the Olympic movement, the only Olympian was sprinter David Nepomuceno in the
100m and 200m dash. This increased to two in 1928 with Toribeo and Sprinter Anselmo
Gonzaga. Toribio would go on win Bronze in 1932 as the sole entry. Six athletes,
including Miguel White, went to the Olympics in 1936. After the war in 1948, only one
and sent a large team of 13 in 1952, all man. They sent four in 1956, they sent seven in
1960, eleven in 1964, sent six in 1984, including De Vega and Del Prado. But from 1996
onwards and sent only 2. In 2016 they sent 3 athletes. In addition, only five athletes in
Filipino Track and Field have made the current Olympic games’ current standards.
These are list of amazing athletes on the History of Philippines Track & Field:
1. Elma Muros with 15 individual golds. Muros attended her first SEA GAMES in
1981 at the age of 14. She was known as one of the youngest ever competitors
in Philippine Track & Field. She has the greatest number of individual medals in
Track & Field, tied equally with Jennifer tin Lay of Myanmar. These gold medals
were won over a long period of 18 years, from 1983 to 2001. Elma became now
the Women’s coach at the University of the Philippines. She holds the Philippines
Track & Field records in the Heptathlon and 400 Hurdles.
2. Lydia De Vega Mercado with 9 individual golds and known as the Legend of
Philippines Track & Field. While she exceeded Elma at the Asian level, having
won golds, Elma would only manage Bronze. However, Lydia was not as
consistent at the SEA Level for Philippines Track & Field. Like Elma, she started
to play at SEA GAMES at a young age. She plays her first SEA Games in 1979
at the age of 15. Her first set of gold came as a 17-year-old in Manila, winning
the 200m, 400m. After which, she then goes onto win several titles by then
focusing on the 100m, 200m. Now, Lydia is living in Singapore as a coach De
Vega and still holds the Philippines Track & Field records in the 100 and 200m
dash. Interestingly, the Philippines, even until now, has never won a title in both
women’s relays.
3. Hector Begeo with 7 individual golds. Hailing from Baguio at 18 years old was
already an Asian games Bronze medalist before he even won his first gold at
SEA Games level for Philippine Track & field. Begeo would set a Legacy of
Filipino Steeple Chasing carried on by Buenavista, Herrera, and Ulboc. Just like

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 De Vega and Muros, he’s also a product of the Legendary Gintong Alay Program
of Michael Keon and a protege of Australian coach Tony Benson. Hector won 6 of
the 8 SEA Games titles in the Men’s Steeple Chase and on title in the 5000m.
Now, hector is living in Australia and still holds the Philippines Track & Field
records in the Steeple Chase.
4. Rene “The calve-man” Herrera with 5 individuals medalist golds. Herrera
won a streak of 5 straight titles from 2003 to 2011 in the Steeple Chase. Before
being succeeded by Christopher Ulboc. He befriended Olympic Champion Mo
Farah of England during the London Olympics. While he still an athlete, Herrera
guided Jessa Mangsat to a then Philippines Track & Field record in the Women’s
Steeple Chase. Now, Herrera is formally a national coach.
5. Agrippina Dela Cruz with 5 individual goals. Dela Cruz is also a product of the
Gintong Alay. She won 3 back-to-back titles in the 100 hurdles from 1983 to 1987
and 400 Hurdles from 1983 to 1985.

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