Asusano bags javelin gold

Team Philippines claims 2 more para games silvers

KUALA LUMPUR – Cendy Asusano delivered the first gold medal for Team Philippines late last night as she ruled the women’s javelin while Arthus Bucay bagged his second silver in cycling in the ninth ASEAN Para Games at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium here.

Asusano, 27, heaved the spear to 13.04 meters to lead the Philippines gold-silver medal finish in the combined F54 and F55 divisions with Jesebel Tordecilla finishing second with a 12.80m throw.

Vietnamese Tran Thi Tu took the bronze with 12.66m.

Bucay, who earlier placed second in the individual time trial, took another silver in the 4000 individual pursuit (C5) in 5:15.574, behind Malaysian Zuhaire Bin Ahmad Tarmizi, who won the gold in 5:06.968.

Maritess Burce, who has reigned in F54 in past Para Games editions before it was combined in the 2015 Singapore meet, finished fourth in women’s javelin with 11.73m.

“This is my dream, to win a gold medal here,” said Asusano, a native of Donsol, Sorsogon.

Asusano also dedicated her win to the country, to her three-year-old daughter Chantal Mingarine and fiancé Juanito Mingarine, a member of the Phl’s wheelchair basketball team.

“They’re my inspiration,” said Asusano.

Her feat also moved the Phl from ninth to seventh in standings with a gold, three silvers and two bronze medals.

Indonesia took the early lead with a 22-9-12 (gold-silver-bronze) haul, including 11 in swimming and nine in athletics.

Malaysia is second with 18-16-8 while Thailand is at third with 38-13-14.

In swimming, Claire Calizo claimed a bronze in her Para Games debut as she finished third in the 100m freestyle S14 in one minute and 15.47 seconds behind Indonesia’s Syuci Indriani and Singapore’s Danielle Yan Ting Moi, who took the gold and silver in 1:0515 and 1:07.20, respectively.

Another Phl bet Judy Ann Neblasca placed ninth in 1:34.53.

It was an impressive showing by Calizo, an 18-year-old Aklan native who took up the sport only last year following the recommendation of a teacher at a school with special needs.

“Grateful and speechless,” said Calizo.

The other Filipino bets fell short of their medal bids, winding up fourth, including Bejino, Sabido and Aba in the 100m free S7, 100m free S9 and 50m breaststroke SB7, respectively, along with Neblasca in the 50m breaststroke, Edwin Villanueva in the 50m breast SB7 and Patrick Cristostomo in 50m breast SB14.

Adrian Azul finished eighth in the 200m free S14.

In powerlifting, Romeo Tayawa lifted 110 kg and placed fourth.

Marydol Pamatian and Achelle Guion, on the other hand, failed to complete a lift in the women’s 41kg division topped by Indonesian Nur Jannah Kamsyah with a 71-kg lift.

Malaysia’s Nurul Binto Nakri took the silver with 38kg.