RP picks up 10 golds, pulls away
December 3, 2005 | 12:00am
Once again, the Philippines kept its strongest rivals at bay in the 23rd Southeast Asian Games.
With only three days remaining in the competition, the Filipino athletes kept their heads high above water, winning nine of the 34 gold medals disputed in 13 sports yesterday.
As of 10:30 p.m.last night, the Philippines had 74 gold, 53 silver and 57 bronze medals. It only needs to hang on, mightily and strong, in the next couple of days to clinch its first overall crown in SEA Games history.
But it won’t be easy.
Thailand finally overtook erstwhile second placer Vietnam with 47-55-73 gold-silver-bronze medals. Vietnam, which won the overall title back home in 2003, dropped to third with 46-48-55. Malaysia closed in on the top 3 with 41-30-36.
Despite the size of the RP lead in the medal standings, Mike Keon, the training director of the Filipino athletes, still sees a three-cornered fight for the overall crown.
The next two days will be the toughest for the Philippines and the Games itself. Forty-five golds will be up for grabs in 14 sports today, and a record 100 golds (based on previous information) tomorrow, the penultimate day.
It’s going to be "Sunday bloody Sunday."
Both Vietnam and Thailand are expected to launch a desperate move in the closing days. And they could either succeed or at least manage to give the Philippines some scare.
The biggest thing going against them, however, is the Philippines’ burning desire to win the overall crown at home. Local officials firmly believe that this is the moment they’ve been waiting for.
In 1991, the last time the Philippines hosted the SEA Games, the Filipinos landed a very close second to Indonesia. It lost the race for the gold medals, 91-92, and has since been dreaming of a second chance.
Three victories in traditional boat race, two in shooting, and one each in equestrian, billiards, swimming and judo enabled the Philippines to pad its lead in the overall race.
It was an entirely collective effort for the San Miguel-sponsored RP paddlers who ruled the men’s 10-a-side 1,000 meters and 20-a-side 1,000 meters, and the women’s 10-a-side 1,000 meters.
The Philippines won in the men’s 10-a-side in 3 minutes, 55.47 seconds followed by Indonesia (3:57.94) and Myanmar (4:06.22). It’s 20-a-side win came in 3:37.16, followed by Indonesia (3:37.47) and Myanmar (3:38.62).
The official results of the women’s 10-a-side finals, scheduled in the morning according to the press guide, were not yet in at the main press center at 8 p.m.
Paul Brian Rosario won the shooting gold in the skeet individual. The skeet team followed with another win later on courtesy of Patricio Bernardo, Alexis Hizon and Rosario himself.
The women’s equestrian team was full of class in taking the gold at the Alabang Country Club polo field.
Miguel Molina won his third gold medal of the Games when he ruled the 200 m breaststroke. Again, no official results were available at the press center so late in the night.
Molina is the only Filipino athlete in this SEA Games to have won three individual gold medals. He also has the 200 and 400 m individual medley golds under his name.
Sheila Mae Perez of diving also has three gold medals under her soft pillow but one of them came in synchronized competition.
Fiipino judoka John Baylon claimed his record seventh consecutive gold in Cebu.
And Alex Pagulayan, the 2004 World 9-Ball champion, defeated Lee Van Corteza in an all-Pinoy finals of 8-ball singles, 9-6, for RP’s last gold in the day.
With only three days remaining in the competition, the Filipino athletes kept their heads high above water, winning nine of the 34 gold medals disputed in 13 sports yesterday.
As of 10:30 p.m.last night, the Philippines had 74 gold, 53 silver and 57 bronze medals. It only needs to hang on, mightily and strong, in the next couple of days to clinch its first overall crown in SEA Games history.
But it won’t be easy.
Thailand finally overtook erstwhile second placer Vietnam with 47-55-73 gold-silver-bronze medals. Vietnam, which won the overall title back home in 2003, dropped to third with 46-48-55. Malaysia closed in on the top 3 with 41-30-36.
Despite the size of the RP lead in the medal standings, Mike Keon, the training director of the Filipino athletes, still sees a three-cornered fight for the overall crown.
The next two days will be the toughest for the Philippines and the Games itself. Forty-five golds will be up for grabs in 14 sports today, and a record 100 golds (based on previous information) tomorrow, the penultimate day.
It’s going to be "Sunday bloody Sunday."
Both Vietnam and Thailand are expected to launch a desperate move in the closing days. And they could either succeed or at least manage to give the Philippines some scare.
The biggest thing going against them, however, is the Philippines’ burning desire to win the overall crown at home. Local officials firmly believe that this is the moment they’ve been waiting for.
In 1991, the last time the Philippines hosted the SEA Games, the Filipinos landed a very close second to Indonesia. It lost the race for the gold medals, 91-92, and has since been dreaming of a second chance.
Three victories in traditional boat race, two in shooting, and one each in equestrian, billiards, swimming and judo enabled the Philippines to pad its lead in the overall race.
It was an entirely collective effort for the San Miguel-sponsored RP paddlers who ruled the men’s 10-a-side 1,000 meters and 20-a-side 1,000 meters, and the women’s 10-a-side 1,000 meters.
The Philippines won in the men’s 10-a-side in 3 minutes, 55.47 seconds followed by Indonesia (3:57.94) and Myanmar (4:06.22). It’s 20-a-side win came in 3:37.16, followed by Indonesia (3:37.47) and Myanmar (3:38.62).
The official results of the women’s 10-a-side finals, scheduled in the morning according to the press guide, were not yet in at the main press center at 8 p.m.
Paul Brian Rosario won the shooting gold in the skeet individual. The skeet team followed with another win later on courtesy of Patricio Bernardo, Alexis Hizon and Rosario himself.
The women’s equestrian team was full of class in taking the gold at the Alabang Country Club polo field.
Miguel Molina won his third gold medal of the Games when he ruled the 200 m breaststroke. Again, no official results were available at the press center so late in the night.
Molina is the only Filipino athlete in this SEA Games to have won three individual gold medals. He also has the 200 and 400 m individual medley golds under his name.
Sheila Mae Perez of diving also has three gold medals under her soft pillow but one of them came in synchronized competition.
Fiipino judoka John Baylon claimed his record seventh consecutive gold in Cebu.
And Alex Pagulayan, the 2004 World 9-Ball champion, defeated Lee Van Corteza in an all-Pinoy finals of 8-ball singles, 9-6, for RP’s last gold in the day.
BrandSpace Articles
<
>
- Latest
- Trending
Trending
Latest
Recommended