Southeast Asia's fastest Cray hopes for good showing in Rio | ABS-CBN
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Southeast Asia's fastest Cray hopes for good showing in Rio
Southeast Asia's fastest Cray hopes for good showing in Rio
ABS-CBN News
Published Aug 06, 2016 06:30 PM PHT
MANILA - Filipino-American track star Eric Cray wants to put on a good show in Rio de Janeiro, and make it to the finals of the men's 400-meter hurdles in his very first stint in the Olympic Games.
MANILA - Filipino-American track star Eric Cray wants to put on a good show in Rio de Janeiro, and make it to the finals of the men's 400-meter hurdles in his very first stint in the Olympic Games.
Cray arrived from El Paso, Texas via Houston on Friday morning, and rested just a few hours before joining the Philippine delegation in the opening ceremony at the Maracaña Stadium.
Cray arrived from El Paso, Texas via Houston on Friday morning, and rested just a few hours before joining the Philippine delegation in the opening ceremony at the Maracaña Stadium.
The Olongapo-born 27-year-old who grew up in the United States holds the record in the 400-meter hurdles in the Southeast Asian Games after finishing with a time of 49.40-seconds last year in Singapore.
The Olongapo-born 27-year-old who grew up in the United States holds the record in the 400-meter hurdles in the Southeast Asian Games after finishing with a time of 49.40-seconds last year in Singapore.
However, it is in the Olympics where Cray is hoping to make a good impression. He races on August 15, with the goal of reaching the finals on August 18.
However, it is in the Olympics where Cray is hoping to make a good impression. He races on August 15, with the goal of reaching the finals on August 18.
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"Hopefully, I get a good Rio showing so I can make it to the finals," said Cray. "I feel real good."
"Hopefully, I get a good Rio showing so I can make it to the finals," said Cray. "I feel real good."
Cray admits that the feeling of competing in the Olympics has yet to sink in, but joining the opening ceremony helped him get into the groove.
Cray admits that the feeling of competing in the Olympics has yet to sink in, but joining the opening ceremony helped him get into the groove.
"I wanted to let it sink in," he said. "It still hasn't hit me."
"I wanted to let it sink in," he said. "It still hasn't hit me."
Though he traveled 17 hours from El Paso, Cray is not anticipating any problems with jetlag as there is just a three-hour difference between Texas and Rio de Janeiro. It is funny for Cray, however, to travel 17 hours for a race that won't last fifty seconds.
Though he traveled 17 hours from El Paso, Cray is not anticipating any problems with jetlag as there is just a three-hour difference between Texas and Rio de Janeiro. It is funny for Cray, however, to travel 17 hours for a race that won't last fifty seconds.
"The trip was pretty long, and I'd be racing like 50 or 49 seconds," said Cray.
"The trip was pretty long, and I'd be racing like 50 or 49 seconds," said Cray.
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The fastest man in Southeast Asia is glad that races will be held morning in Rio, because he trained at the same time in Houston.
The fastest man in Southeast Asia is glad that races will be held morning in Rio, because he trained at the same time in Houston.
"It's a morning race, and it's pretty good because I've been practicing in the morning," said Cray, who adds that he "feel(s) great" coming into the packed Maracaña Stadium.
"It's a morning race, and it's pretty good because I've been practicing in the morning," said Cray, who adds that he "feel(s) great" coming into the packed Maracaña Stadium.
He is looking forward to making the most of his Olympic experience, but surprisingly, not to seeing the world's fastest man, Usain Bolt of Jamaica.
He is looking forward to making the most of his Olympic experience, but surprisingly, not to seeing the world's fastest man, Usain Bolt of Jamaica.
"I've seen him in a lot of meets," Cray said of Bolt. "I've been used to it, so it's not gonna be too exciting for me. I'm not gonna be too excited to see him."
"I've seen him in a lot of meets," Cray said of Bolt. "I've been used to it, so it's not gonna be too exciting for me. I'm not gonna be too excited to see him."
"But definitely, I want to see some NBA players," he added.
"But definitely, I want to see some NBA players," he added.
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(For more sports coverage, visit the ABS-CBN Sports website.)
(For more sports coverage, visit the ABS-CBN Sports website.)
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