Who is Lydia de Vega?
LYDIA DE VEGA – Here are some details about the Philippine track and field legend.
Dubbed Asia’s fastest woman, De Vega passed away on Wednesday, August 10 after her battle with Stage 4 breast cancer. She was 57.
Lydia’s passing was announced by her daughter, former volleyball player Stephanie Mercado de Koenigswarter, through her social media post.
Stephanie said that her mother died at the Makati Medical Center on Wednesday evening. According to her, her mother “fought the very good fight and is now at peace.”
It can be recalled that it was in 2018 that she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
But who is Lydia de Vega?
- Name: Lydia de Vega-Mercado
- Born: December 26, 1964, Meycauayan
- Died: August 10, 2022, Makati
- Age: 57
- Husband: Paul Mercado
- Year of Retirement: 1994
- Event(s): 100m, 200m, 400, Long Jump
- Daughter: Stephanie Mercado
Lydia de Vega was dubbed as “Asia’s fastest woman” during her reign in the ’80s.
She first made an impact at the 1981 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games held in Manila with gold medal performances in the 200 and 400-meter events.
She also represented the Philippines at the 1984 and 1988 Summer Olympics.
Throughout her athletics stint, she bagged numerous medals coming from different competitions such as Asian Athletics Championships, Asian Games, and Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
She was one of the flag bearers in the 2019 SEA Games which were held in the country.
Aside from athletics, she also ventured into politics.
In 2005, she served as councilor in Meycauayan, Bulacan. Later that year, she went to Singapore after receiving three job offers from Singaporean private schools to handle athletics.
She was also appointed a liaison officer of the Alliance of Coaches and Athletes of the Philippines with the Philippine Sports Commission.
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