Lydia de Vega-Mercado, Asia’s former sprint queen, died Wednesday night following a four-year struggle with breast cancer, her daughter reported. She was 57 years old.

“On behalf of our family, it is with absolute grief that I announce the death of my mother, Lydia De Vega, this evening, August 10, 2022, at the Makati Medical Center,” Stephanie Mercado de Koenigswarter said on Facebook. “She battled valiantly and is now at rest.”

Stephanie stated that the wake arrangements will be published “very soon,” but for the time being, I would really appreciate your prayers for my mother’s soul.]

In the 1980s, De Vega-Mercado was nicknamed “Asia’s Fastest Woman,” winning the 100-meter sprint nine times in the Southeast Asian Games, four times in the Asian championship, and twice in the Asian Games.

De Vega-Mercado also competed in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics in the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

In 1994, the Filipino sports icon from Meycauayan, Bulacan, announced her retirement from active competition.

Stephanie used to be Asia’s fastest woman, winning the 100-meter gold medal at the 1982 and 1986 Asian Games, as well as the sprint double at the 1983 and 1987 Asian Athletics Championships. In addition, she holds nine gold medals at the Southeast Asian Games. In 1994, De Vega declared his resignation from competitive racing.

Stephanie just recently announced that the sprint champion was in “serious condition.”

De Vega has had a series of procedures after being diagnosed with the disease in 2018, including brain surgery.