Also known as "Asia's Sprint Queen" and "Asia's Fastest Woman", Lydia de Vega-Mercado (born December 12, 1964) was considered Asia's fastest woman in the 1980s.

As Asia's sprint queen, she ran away with the gold medal in the 100-meter dash in the 1982 New Delhi Asiad and deleting the feat in the 1986 Seoul Asiad Where she was clocked in at 11.53 seconds. She brought home a silver medal in the 200-meter race from the 1986 Seoul Asiad.

Diay, as she is fondly called by her countrymen was a two-time Olympian, having carried the country's colors in the 1984 (Los Angeles) and 1988 (Seoul) Olympics. De Vega now serves as a councilor of her native Meycauayan town in Bulacan province.

Currently, she is the coach of the Singapore track and field team.

TRIVIA: "Diay" once played herself in a 1982 autobiographical movie, 'Medalyang Ginto' while her father and coach, Francisco "Tatang" de Vega was played by Tony Santos Sr.