Toughest nut to crack in SEAG

MANILA, Philippines - Ageless warrior John Baylon racked up eight straight gold medals in the Southeast Asian Games – a feat that earned him a spot in The STAR’s exclusive list of sporting heroes the last 25 years.

“It’s an honor for me to be chosen in that elite group. I did it for flag and country,” said Baylon in Filipino.

The 45-year-old Baylon captured the gold in the 2009 Laos Games in the over-78 kg class, extending his reign on the judo mat for eight straight editions, or 16 long years, in the biennial multi-sports event.

While his contemporaries like tankers Eric Buhain and Akiko Thompson, among others, had retired, Baylon, a fearless fighter, went on and won in every SEAG edition he had competed in starting in the 1993 Singapore Games.