Filipino marathon king Rafael Poliquit passes on

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine athletics mourned the passing of Filipino marathon king Rafael Poliquit Jr., one of the country’s top medal prospects in the coming Southeast Asian Games.

Poliquit died from complications from subdural empyema yesterday afternoon after spending days in coma at V. Luna Hospital. He was 36.

“I visited him at the hospital last Tuesday and when I was talking to him I saw tears so I thought there was still a glimmer of hope,” said athletics president Philip Ella Juico.

Poliquit, a Tagum City pride, was supposed to banner Team Phl’s bid in the 42K event of the SEAG on home ground. He had posted 2:28.47 in winning the 2018 Milo Marathon, a mark that surpassed the 2:29.27 of 2017 SEA Games marathon champ Soh Rui Yong of Singapore.

“He had a fighting chance in the SEA Games,” said Juico, noting that Poliquit’s unfortunate death trimmed Team Phl’s 42K pool to three.

Poliquit, who also also met the Patafa’s QT in the 10,000m run event during last month’s Phl Athletics Championships, had complained of severe headache and cold after arriving from a competition the US. The pain didn’t subside, he eventually caught infection and worsened.