Poomsae leads way as PH breaches 30-gold mark in SEA Games
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – Taekwondo provided the Philippines a major shot in the arm as the country completed a four-gold haul on Friday, May 12 – a welcome improvement after a measly two-gold loot in the past two days.
The trio of Jocel Lyn Ninobla, Nicole Labayne, and Aidaine Laxa together with Patrick King Perez showed the way in poomsae with a pair of golds, while wushu and athletics contributed one each to raise the Philippines’ tally to 31.
Perez finally broke in his third SEA Games try, reigned in the men’s recognized individual after settling for back-to-back silvers in the team events of the past two SEA Games.
Ninobla, the women’s recognized individual champion in the past two editions, claimed her third SEA Games gold as she teamed up with Laxa and Labayne in ruling the women’s recognized team event.
“It was not an easy journey for each one of us,” said Perez. “We give our all each training day.”
The poomsae squad also bagged a silver courtesy of Perez, Joaquin Dominic Tuzon, and Ian Matthew Corton (men’s recognized team) and a pair of bronzes from Ninobla and Corton (mixed recognized pair) and Juvenile Crisostomo, Kobe Macario, Zyka Santiago, Jordan Dominguez, and Darius Venerable (mixed freestyle team).
Wushu queen Agatha Wong started the day strong for the Philippines as she topped the women’s taijiquan + taijijian event for her fifth SEA Games gold.
The Philippines’ 4x400m relay squad then ended the athletics competitions in style, with Umajesty Williams, Frederick Ramirez, Michael Carlo del Prado, and Joyme Sequita running away with the last gold of the day.
It could have been five golds for the country on Friday if not for the knee injury fencer Samantha Catantan suffered just before the finals of the women’s foil individual.
Catantan opted to give up her title-repeat bid with the bigger picture in mind as she gears up for the qualification window for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Wushu and athletics also delivered one and two silvers, respectively, thanks to Gideon Fred Padua (men’s sanda 60kg), Jessel Lumapas, Bernalyn Bejoy, Robyn Brown and Maureen Schrijvers (women’s 4x400m hurdles), and Jennah Malapit (women’s javelin throw).
The Philippines went 2-3 in women’s javelin throw as Evalyn Palabrica snagged bronze, while cyclist Ronald Oranza added another bronze in the men’s road individual mass start.
Meanwhile, Gilas Women saw their three-peat bid in 5-on-5 basketball put in jeopardy after a disheartening 89-68 loss to unbeaten Indonesia.
Dropping to 2-1, the Filipinas have to sweep their remaining three games and need the Indonesians to lose their last two matches, with the gold to be awarded to the team with the best record.
The Philippines remained at sixth place in the medal table with 31 golds, 56 silvers, and 73 bronzes, but hope is high it can still climb a spot or two with nine boxers going for gold over the next two days. – Rappler.com