#PHISportsHero: LYDIA DE VEGA

Published on

August 22, 2023 Features

ACHIEVEMENTS

Asian Games

1982 Asian Games 100m – Gold

1986 Asian Games 100m – Gold

1986 Asian Games 200m – Silver

Southeast Asian Games

1981 Southeast Asian Games 200m – Gold

1981 Southeast Asian Games 400m – Gold

1983 Southeast Asian Games 200m – Gold

1987 Southeast Asian Games 100m – Gold

1987 Southeast Asian Games 200m – Gold

1987 Southeast Asian Games Long Jump – Gold

1991 Southeast Asian Games 100m – Gold

1993 Southeast Asian Games 100m – Gold

1993 Southeast Asian Games 200m – Gold

1983 Southeast Asian Games 100m – Silver

1991 Southeast Asian Games 200m – Silver

Hall of Fame

2008 – FEU Sports Hall of Fame Inductee 2018 – Philippine Sports Hall of Fame Inductee

BIOGRAPHY

Born on December 26, 1964, Filipina sprinter Lydia de Vega went on to be dubbed as the fastest woman in Asia.

Starting off as a seedling in the Palarong Pambansa under the guidance of her father Francisco “Tatang” de Vega, Lydia was recruited to be part of the Far Eastern University Track Team.

Her debut in the international scene was phenomenal. At a young age of 17, de Vega represented the country at the 1981 Asian Games, where she had beaten her fellow runners and claimed the gold for the Philippines. This feat would later on repeat in the succeeding editions, developing an intense rivalry with P.T. Usha of India.

Eventually, she represented the country two consecutive times in the 1984 and 1988 Summer Olympics. Unyielding, she had also participated in the 1986 Seoul Asian Games and 1991 Asian Athletics Championships, where she had also brought home honor for the country.

Lydia retired from her sports career in 1994, and went onto another direction in serving the country. In 2001, she was appointed as councilor in Meycauayan, Bulacan and was appointed as a liaison officer of the Alliance of Coaches and Athletes of the Philippines in 2005.

De Vega, as one of the country’s sports icons, bore the flag in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games when it was hosted by the country.

She was inducted into the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame in 2018.