Last Updated on May 17, 2023 by Andrew Pirie
Eric Cray
The Great Eric Cray makes it 6 in a row
Eric Shauwn Cray proved again why he is the Greatest Hurdler in SEA Games History. Making it 6 SEA Games Titles in a row in the 400 Hurdles at the age of 34! Eric first won gold for the Philippines 10 years ago in Myanmar and won it ever since. Is now only behind Elma Muros (8 total, 6 in a row) and directly tied with Hector Begeo (6 total) for most Golds in an individual event.
Only Elma Muros in Philippines Athletics has ever won 6 in a row at SEA Games her feat being in Long Jump from 1989-1999. Cray led the whole way and never looked like conceding the gold stopping the clock in 50.04, his SEA Games Record is 49.40 and South East Asian and National Records is 48.98. Eric now shifts his focus to the Asian Games later in the year in Huangzhou, China. Eric was Asian Champion in 2017 but has never won a medal at the Asian Games. The Asian Games is considered the stronger event.
Eric opted to focus on 400 Hurdles solely this SEA Games not participating in the 100-meter dash and 4×100-meter relay. This was Cray’s 7th Gold individual medal at SEA Games which now ties him with Hector Begeo.
Eric Cray DNF in 400m at Asian Indoors
CHAMPION OF THE SEA GAMES 400 HURDLES 5 TIMES Eric Cray (Philippines) pulls out 80m into the 400m, at Astana, Kazakhstan. To bet on him, sites like 해외배팅 are available.
Eric Cray Marginally Misses out on 2022 Oregon World Championships Qualifying (July 9, 2022)
5X SEA Games Champion Eric Cray has missed out on the 2022 World Championships of Athletics by a mere 8 points. The global event will be staged in Oregon, the United States from July 15-24. Cray who scored 1175 points, ranked 43rd in the 400 Hurdles World Athletics Point system. However, only the top 40 were taken for World Championships. Jesus Delgado of Spain was 40th with 1183 pts.
The list is led by world record holder Karsten Warholm of Norway who is as defending champion with an impressive 45.94 world record at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Rai Benjamin of the United States the Olympic silver medalist with 46.17 has the fastest qualifying time in the qualifying period. 24 of the 40 qualifiers were under the 48.90 outright qualifying standard. While the remainder relied on points. Absolutely no wild cards were given in this event. And 40 athletes will arrange themselves in 5 heats of 8.
Eric Cray who turns 34 in November still looks towards qualifying for the 2024 Olympic Games and adding an unprecedented 6th SEA Games title at the 2023 Cambodia SEA Games. Most remarkable is that Cray’s 49.49 in Marietta Georgia on July 2 is the fastest time since 2016 when he ran his 48.98 Philippine Record. Qualifying however was from 28 June 2021 to 26 June 2022 which makes the 49.49 non-bearing as it was outside the qualifying period. Eric did clock 49.50 on 14 June at Turku, Finland.
Eric has been to 3 World Championships in 2013, 2015, and 2017.
Only EJ
The only athlete to qualify for World Championships for the Philippines in 2022 was Ernest John Obiena whose pole vault of 5.93m an Asian Record on September 11 at Innsbruck, Switzerland saw him easily in the list of 40, ranked 6th. 24 of the 40 qualifiers cleared over 5.80m. Obiena was ranked behind Kendricks, Duplantis, Nilsen, Lightfoot, and Braz.
No Female Entry
With Knott still recovering from a foot injury. The PATAFA had the very difficult decision of choosing between SEA Games 100m Champion Kayla Richardson, and new Philippine 400 Hurdles Record Holder Robyn Brown for their choice for female entry. Ultimately PATAFA decided on Robyn Brown as she was ranked higher on the world rankings. However, it was later found the Gender Equality rule which allows one unqualified athlete only applies to the Olympic Games and not the World Championships.
Eric Cray
Eric Cray has won 4 Consecutive 400 Hurdle Titles for the Philippines at SEA Games 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2019.
He was the first Filipino ever to win a medal and a Gold at the SEA Games (2015). He also was the 2nd Filipino after Abdul Guiapar.
To win an Asian title in 400 Hurdles some 44 years ago in 1973.
Eric Cray won the 400 Hurdles at the SEA Games in 2013 and 2015.
He set the SEA Games Record at 49.40 in 2015 and the SEA Record at 48.98 the following year.
While Eric will be unchallenged in the 400 Hurdles, the next fastest ma, silver medalist Quach of Vietnam with 51.03, is worlds apart.
100m
The 100m is a different story as Eric has only 20-30 mins between the 400 Hurdles and 100 Final on the second day.
Add to this the threat of the young Malaysian Khairul Jantan, the 2016 Asian Junior Champion, with a PB of 10.18 and 10.24 in 2017.
Cray ended up narrowly defending his SEA Games Title from Quach Cong Lich of Vietnam from 50.03 to 50.05 and was pipped 10.37 to 10.43 by Khairul Jantan.
A difficult schedule of 4 runs (100 and 400 Hurdles Heats and FInals) in the space of fewer than 2 days made it difficult for Eric to defend his titles.
Eric also helped the Philippines 4×100 to a Bronze with a new National Record of 39.11.
Cray now has 3 Consecutive SEA Games titles in 400 Hurdles and looking to make that 4 in Manila.
Eric, due to fatigue, opted not to run the 4×400 relay. His 4 SEA Golds place him at #11 on the All-Time List for the most number of Individual Golds at SEA Games.
Photo Credit: Asian Athletics Association
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Eric Cray
- Born: 06.11.1988
- Birth Place: Olongapo City, Zambales
- College: Graduated from Oklahoma State University
- Coach: Samantha Cray (nee. Sharper): Previous Davian Clarke and Keith Sharper
- Location: El Paso, Texas
- Philippine Team from 2013 onward
- Pinoyathletics Male Athlete of the Year 4 times 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016
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PERFORMANCE PROFILE
Indoors Personal Bests
- 50m 5.76 – (NR) Saskatoon, 2017
- 60m – 6.57 – (NR) Albuquerque, 2015 (SEA Record)
- 6.57 Doha, Qatar 2016
- 60m hurdles – 7.86 – (NR) Albuquerque, 2014
- 200m – 21.31 (NR) Albuquerque, 2015
- 400m – 48.28 Albuquerque, 2015
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Eric Shauwn Cray Outdoor Personal Best Times
- 100m – 10.25 NR, Singapore 2015
- 10.21 (+2.6) El Paso, 2015
- 200m – 21.25, El Paso, 2017
- 110mh – 14.17 former NR, Pasig 2013
- 400m hurdles – 48.98 SEA Record, National Record,
- 49.40 SEA Games Record, Singapore 2015
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Cray’s Achievements to date:
- 2013
- Southeast Asian Champion – 400m hurdles
- 6th place finish Sea Games -110m Hurdle
- World Champion Competitor – 400m hurdles
- Asian Outdoors Athletic Championship finalists – 400m hurdles
- PNG National Champion -110m hurdles
- 2014
- Asian Indoors 60m 5th Final
- PNG National Champion -100m & 4x100m
- 2015
- SEA Games Champion 100M /NR (First Filipino to win Medal event)
- SEA Record & Champion 400 Hurdles
- 2016
- NR 4x100m Relay
- Asian Indoor Championships 60m/Bronze
- World Indoor Championships 60m/Semi-Finalist
- Olympic Games Qualifier and Semi-Finalist, Rio
- 2017
- NR 4x100m Relay
- Asian Champion in the 400 Hurdles (2nd Filipino to win the event)
- SEA Games Champion 400 Hurdles (3rd title)
- SEA Games Silver 100m
- 2019
- SEA Games Champion 400 Hurdles (4th title) (most SEA Games History)
- SEA Games Gold Mixed 4×100 Relay
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Eric Shauwn Cray CAREER PROGRESSION:
100m
- 2010 11.06s / 10.63w
- 2013 10.52s
- 2014 10.67s, 10.47w
- 2015 10.21w, 10.33 NR, 10.28 NR, 10.25 NR
200m
- 2009 22.33s
- 2010 22.65
- 2011 23.06
- 2014 21.81i
- 2015 21.31i
- 2017 21.25
400m
- 2009 50.20
- 2010 49.37
- 2012 48.94
- 2016 48.28
- 2018 47.67
110 Hurdles
- 2007 14.43 (junior height?)
- 2011 14.22
- 2013 14.17 (former NR)
400 Hurdles
- 2009 52.06s
- 2010 51.94s
- 2012 50.46s
- 2013 50.74s (acquired Phi dual citizenship 2013)
- 2014 50.00 NR
- 2015 49.62 NR, 49.12 NR/SEAR, 49.40 SEA GAMES R
- 2016 49.07 NR & SEAR
2016 48.98 NR & SEAR, Madrid
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Indoor
60m
- 2008 7.02
- 2009 6.96
- 2010 6.90
- 2011 6.87
- 2014 6.75
- 2015 6.57
- 2016 6.57
200m
- 2014 21.81
400m
- 2010 49.88
60 Hurdles
- 2011 7.91
- 2014 7.86
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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/