Last Updated on October 11, 2022 by Andrew Pirie
Agrippina Dela Cruz The Hurdle Queen
Born November 7, 1960. Agrippina hails from Buer, Aguilar, Pangasinan. Agrippina Dela Cruz was discovered by her school principal, Mr. Andres Nava. And began Athletics at age 13.
Agrippina Dela Cruz’s first meets locally was in Pangasinan, winning the 100 and 400 Hurdles. She then went on to participate in these same events at the National Open in Lingayen. And her first international meet was in Jakarta.
During the 1970s, the top Female Sprinters were Lucila Tolentino and Nanette Lusterio; another Junior was emerging at this time.
The Philippines in 1977 had no medal in the 100 Hurdles, and it was even worse in the 400 Hurdles, with Myrna Ayo and Racquel Butao coming in near the back at the SEA Games. However, Tolentino did snag bronze in the now-defunct 200 Hurdles event.
Agrippina Dela Cruz won the Secondary Girls Palarong Pambansa in 1978 in Cagayan De Oro 100 Hurdles in 16.5 but took silver in the 400 Hurdles behind Anita Chicano at 1.08.0. She was not selected for the 1979 ASEAN School Games to Singapore.
While not selected in the school meet, Agrippina Dela Cruz was called up for duty in the 1979 SEA Games, her first international meet in which she took a bronze in the 400 Hurdles in a time of 63.13.
And did not enter her in the 100 Hurdles. She was also a member of the 4×400, which finished 5th.
New Decade
As the 1970s roared to an end and all the great Filipino Women Hurdlers retired. And set the stage for Agrippina.
In 1981 Agrippina could not retain a medal in the 400 Hurdles finishing 4th, but in the 100 Hurdles, they clocked 14.58 to silver.
In 1982 she Joined Gintong Alay; she was coached most of her career by Magnos Santo Jr., with considerable assistance from Australian coach Tony Benson.
Assisted by the Gintong Alay program, Dela Cruz would win 3 SEA Games titles in the 100 Hurdles in 1983, 1985, and 1987. She also won two more golds in the 1983 and 1985 SEA Games bringing her total to 5 SEA Golds in her career.
She even won the 1983 Victorian Championships in Melbourne, Australia clocking 14.87.
Later Years
She took bronze in the Women’s 400 Hurdles in 63.48, behind Debbie Flintoff of Australia. Flintoff-King went on to become the 400 Hurdles Olympic Champion in Seoul in 1988.
Her Personal Best times, both sets in 1985 of 14.09 and 59.29 at the SEA Games, were then Philippine Records until Elma Muros Posadas later shattered them.
In 1987 she would win her third SEA Games title in 100 Hurdles. But placed 2nd in the 400 Hurdles.
The 5’5 Hurdler highlight was competing at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, where she timed 14.36 and 1.02.70, placing 6th and 7th in her heat and failed to advance past the heats. After the Seoul Olympics at 28, she retired. Later migrating to the United States.
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Andrew was elected Vice President of the Association of Track and Field Statisticians in 2020 after being a member for 7 years.
He has worked as a PSC Consultant and Research Assistant from 2013-2015, Consultant, and Sprint Coach at Zamboanga Sports Academy from 2015-2017. And Currently is Consultant Coach with VMUF 2021-
Current editor and chief of Pinoyathletics.info, and has recently done consultancy work for Ayala Corp evaluating the Track and Field Program.
Coaches Sprints, Middle and Jump events he is Level 3 Athletics Australia Coaching Certification in Sprints and Hurdles.
Currently working towards a Masters Degree in Education.
He can be contacted on [email protected]
You can find more information on Coaching here
http://www.pinoyathletics.info/coaching-2/