Robyn Brown finally struck gold for the Philippine athletics team after ruling the women’s 400-meter hurdles on the fourth day of the Asian Athletics Championships in Pattaya, Thailand on Saturday.
Brown, a silver medalist in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia, clocked in 57.50 seconds, giving the country its first gold medal in this year’s Asian tilt.
Japanese entries Eri Utsonomiya (57.73) and Ami Yamamoto (57.80) completed the podium as they took home the silver and bronze medals, respectively.
The Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association was quick to laud Brown’s achievement.
“Congratulations Robyn! Your Philippine athletics team is very proud of you. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!” PATAFA posted on social media.
Brown has a chance to add another medal to her name as she teams up with Umajesty Williams, Jessel Lumapas and Michael del Prado in the final of the mixed 4x400m relay final as of press time.
Meanwhile, six-time SEA Games champion Eric Cray fell short in the men’s 400m hurdles as he placed sixth in the final with a time of 49.76.
The Philippines is poised to surpass the one gold and one bronze medal tally from Doha in 2019 as sprinter Kristina Knott (women’s 200m), Janry Ubas (men’s long jump) and Sarah Dequinan (women’s heptathlon) are likewise favored to medal.
World No. 3 EJ Obiena will also compete on Sunday as he is poised to get back-to-back gold medals in the men’s pole vault.
