MANILA: Philippine sprinter Lydia de Vega, who was described as the sprint queen in Asian athletics in the 1980s, has passed away. She had been undergoing treatment for breast cancer for nearly 5 years. Lydia, who had thrilled the athletics galleries of the continent, is well-known among Indian sports fans for her 100,200 meters battles with Indian athlete PT Usha.
Lydia, who became a superstar in the Philippines as a teenager with her beauty and speed, had won several international medals in the 100m and 200m sprint. Lydia won four golds, three silvers and three bronzes in the Asian Track and Field Championships and two golds and one silver in the Asian Games. She had also won 11 medals, including nine gold and two silver, from various South Asian Games.