Olympian Eric Cray training in El Paso before heading to Rio

EL PASO, Texas – Eric Cray is from San Antonio, went to college in Florida and Oklahoma, competes for the Philippines, and now lives and trains in El Paso. But his ultimate destination is Rio.

“I believe when I actually get on the plane and touch down in Rio, then it’s really gonna hit me that I’m an Olympian,” said Cray.

Cray, who will compete in the 400-meter hurdles, will head to Rio early next week in time for the opening ceremonies. Before he does though, he’s managing to get in some last minute training at UTEP.

“You know, I love being down here in El Paso. It’s a real laid back place to be,” he said. “I’m just happy I’m out here training and getting ready.”

Cray won gold in the 400-meter hurdles last year at the Southeast Asian Games. But he and his coach both know he’ll be facing much stiffer competition at the Olympics.

“For the last two years, we’ve been preparing for this moment,” said Davian Clarke, Cray’s coach and an assistant with the UTEP track and field team. “Training to run the rounds and training to run against people who are just as good as you and even better.”

Cray’s mother is from the Philippines while his father is from the United States. Cray, a citizen of both nations, chose to compete for the Philippines to honor his mother.

Unlike many Olympians, he didn’t have dreams of gold when he was younger. In fact, he didn’t even start competing in track and field until high school.

“It wasn’t until 2008 when I saw the Olympics and thought it might be an amazing thing to be in the Olympics,” said Cray. “So that’s when I started training and prepping myself harder to make the Olympics.”

When asked for his biggest Olympic inspiration, Cray looks to two-time gold medalist Angelo Taylor. Taylor, also a 400-meter hurdler, won gold in 2000 and 2008.

“In 2004 he didn’t win, but he came back in 2008 and won his second Olympics. So that was just an amazing moment,” said Cray.

Cray hopes he can join Taylor as an Olympic gold medalist in the 400-meter hurdles. Meanwhile, he’s still trying to comprehend the fact he is an Olympian.

“As we go into the opening ceremonies, I just feel like, it’s probably going to be an amazing feeling,” he said. “Not probably. I know it is. But right now it hasn’t even hit me yet. It’s still surreal.”

Cray is engaged to be married to former UTEP track star Samantha Sharper.