Lydia de Vega-Mercado statue eyed at Rizal Memorial oval

MANILA, Philippines – Lydia de Vega-Mercado, one of the greatest athletes the Philippines has produced, will soon have her monument at the exact same place where Filipinos witnessed her golden triumphs — the Rizal Memorial track oval

“We want to put a sculpture, a statue para sa kanya,” said Philippine Sports Commission board member Bong Coo in yesterday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the PSC building referring to the late former Asian sprint queen.

“Siya inspiration ng mga kabataan lalo na sa athletics, ‘yun sana ang gagawin naming tribute na pinaplano sa kanya,” she added.

Coo, a legendary athlete herself being a former world champion bowler, said they hope to finish everything by October where the agency pays her a formal tribute to de Vega-Mercado.

She said it was just fitting that the statue will be built at the same area where de Vega-Mercado staged some of her many epic victories including three Southeast Asian Games gold medals — two in 1981 and another one a decade later.

“Dito siya nag gold sa SEA Games kasi kaya maganda dito siya bigyan ng tribute,” said Coo.