Hangzhou ASIAD comes to a close

Tsukii last but not least for Team Philippines

HANGZHOU – As the biggest Asian Games in history comes to a close tonight at the futuristic Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium, karateka Junna Tsukii caps Team Philippines’ magnificent campaign when she sees action in the women’s -50kg class.

She’s the last but not the least.

And if Tsukii fights true to form or gets lucky, then Team Philippines, now with four gold, two silver and a dozen bronze medals, may surpass its medal haul of 4-2-15 in the 2018 edition in Jakarta.

It all rests on the shoulders of the 32-year-old Tsukii, who won the gold in her division during the 2023 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama, and the gold in the 2019 SEA Games in Manila.

In Jakarta five years ago, she salvaged the bronze, and this time, in probably her last Asian Games, should want a perfect souvenir from this cold, capital city of Zhejiang province.

Tsukii goes up against Srey Phea Chonn of Cambodia in the morning session, just when the big chunk of the Philippine delegation checks out of the massive Athletes Village to take the flight back home.

“We’ll see. She can still deliver a medal for us,” said Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino, who, as of now, has hit his target of four golds – regardless of how many silver and bronze medals are in the bag.

“It was delivered. Sinabi ko sa inyo, four golds,” said Tolentino the morning after Team Philippines took the biggest win of all – the gold in men’s basketball.

Pole-vaulter EJ Obiena and Jiu-jitsu’s Meggie Ochoa and Annie Ramirez delivered the three other golds while Arnel Mandal of wushu and Eumir Marcial of boxing provided the silvers. The bronze medals came from poomsae, wushu, tennis, BMX, weightlifting, sepak takraw, karate and Jiu-jitsu.

It now depends on Tsukii, who finished her studies at the Takushoku University in Tokyo, if Team Philippines will do better, in terms of the number of medals won, than 2018.

A gold or even a silver will make that happen.

As of 7 p.m. last night, the Chinese are miles and miles away with 194 gold, 108 silver and 67 bronze medals. Rounding out the Top 5 are Japan (48-62-67), South Korea (39-55-89), India (28-35-41) and Uzbekistan (21-18-27). The Philippines is at 17th place, a notch higher than the 18th in 2018.

But regardless of today’s result, Philippine Sports Commission Richard Bachmann is happy and satisfied with where the Filipino athletes are sitting. He took exception to the gold won on the basketball court.

“Witnessing our Gilas Pilipinas take back the Asian basketball throne was one of the monumental victories for Team Philippines here in Hangzhou – our fourth gold medal, as of date,” said the PSC chairman, whose father, Kurt Bachmann, was part of the glorified Philippine basketball team that won the gold in 1962.

“My father, who was a part of the team that last won the gold at the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta would be very proud of this Gilas squad, who showed resilience and team spirit,” he said.

“I am so elated with the performance of our national team, being Asian champs again after 61 years,” Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio said.

“I would like to thank MVP (Manny V. Pangilinan, SBP chairman emeritus) and RSA (Ramon S. Ang, SMC president and CEO) for their unwavering support. I would also like to thank the PBA led by its chairman Ricky Vargas and vice chairman Bobby Rosales. I remember Ricky saying we will not back down knowing it will be high risk,” he said.

Vargas, who was here most of the time, pumping his fists each time Team Philippines scored a huge win, said, “It was awesome, unbelievable, unforgettable, which filled me with many precious moments.

“We were happy with being No. 4. But when we beat China, it dawned on us that we could be No. 1, and there was no turning back after that,” he said.

Arianne Brito and JM Manantan, also of karate, failed to land any medal yesterday, when temperature in this city by the ancient West Lake dropped to 19 degrees Celsius.

Brito won her quarterfinals bout against a South Korean, 3-0, then lost in the semis against Sofya Berultseva of Kazakhstan, 1-0. In the battle for the bronze of the women’s kumite +68, she bowed to Joud Aldrous of Jordan, 11-2.

Manantan dropped a 4-2 decision against Cheng Chung of Chinese-Taipei in the men’s kumite -67kg and failed to advance.