SEA Games Medalist Mervin Guarte died and EJ Obiena has this post.
Philippine sports mourned the death of Mervin Guarte and two-time Olympian EJ Obiena has this post about him.
Southeast Asian Games multi-medalist and Philippine Air Force airman Mervin Guarte died after he was fatally stabbed on Tuesday in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro. According to the Philippine National Police (PNP) MIMAROPA, the athlete was pounced while sleeping at the house of a barangay official.
The suspect is still unidentified and after stabbing Guarte in the chest, he escaped. Oriental Mindoro Governor Humerlito Dolor condemned the tragic incident that took the life of the multi-medalist from the Southeast Asian Games. He vowed to give his death a swift justice.
Guarte, as an athlete, won silver medals in the 800-meter and 1,500-meter track events in the 2011 Jakarta Southeast Asian Games. He got a gold medal in the men’s 5-kilometer race at the 2019 Manila SEA Games and in the men’s relay event at the 2023 Cambodia SEA Games in obstacle course racing.
Two-time Olympian and pole vault star EJ Obiena mourned over the death of his fellow athlete. In a post, he paid tribute to his “friend”. The news about his death was shocking and devastating, at the same time, for him.
It was a tragedy and he hoped that this may become a “poignant reminder” to everyone to live every day and appreciate it as “tomorrow is never guaranteed”. He felt blessed to share a track with him.
He wrote, “This is another poignant reminder to us all, that we must embrace every day as a gift; as tomorrow is never guaranteed. Blessed to have shared the track with you. Rest well, my friend.”
The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is also grieving and expressed condolences to the family and loved ones of the SEA Games gold medalist. Guarte was an Airman First Class (A1C) who joined the PAF through direct enlistment in 2015. He was assigned to Lipa, Batangas.
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