Asia’s beloved “track queen”, Lydia de Vega, passed away following a long battle with cancer

Asia is mourning the loss of one of its most decorated athletes after she passed away following a four year battle with cancer. Lydia de Vega of the Philippines was only 57-years-old at the time of her death, but she fought valiantly the same way she competed on the track in the 80′s and early 90′s.

“She fought the very good fight and is now at peace,” de Vega’s daughter Stephanie de Koenigswarter said in a Twitter post.

De Vega burst onto the track scene at just 16-years-old when she won golds in the 200m and 400m races at the 1981 Manila Southeast Asian (SEA) Games. Following her debut, she continued to compete over the next 13 years racking up more medals along the way.

She dominated the 200m in the 1983 and 1987 SEA Games and was successful in the 100m in the 1987, 1991 and 1993 SEA Games. Her 11.28s finish in the 1987 100m still stands as a Games record. De Vega also won gold medals at the 1982 and 1986 Asian Games in the 100m. In addition, she competed at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics, but did not make the podium.

After winning her last two medals at the 1993 SEA Games, de Vega stepped away from the sport with her sights set on politics and government service. By 2005, she had chosen to coach children and adults with disabilities in Singapore at the JS Athletics academy.

Her long-time coach, and later partner, Jacter Singh shared, “She was a very down-to-earth person, and would always prefer to lie low instead of taking any of the limelight or credit for anything.”

De Vega and Singh traveled back and forth between Singapore and the Philippines due to family being located in the Philippines, but work being located in Singapore. De Vega had left Singapore for the Philippines in late April with plans to return to work, but her condition deteriorated quickly in July and she was placed in the intensive care unit. Singh traveled to see her prior to her passing and shared how difficult it was to see her in that state.

“I would talk to her and sometimes she would move her hands, and on two occasions, she opened her eyes. It was heartbreaking to see her on the hospital bed with so many tubes around her,” he said.

With such a storied career and her passion to serve others, saying goodbye to a legend will be difficult. Her burial will take place in the Philippines on Tuesday where Singh will say his final goodbyes to his longtime love along with everyone else who cherished her.