Bowling, judo provide golds; boxers enter medal round
Singapore (4,963).
It was the second gold medal for the bowling team after Tan captured the men’s singles a few days ago, already eclipsing the one-silver and one-bronze finish at the 2019 edition.
Tan, a 22-year-old left-hander, rolled 1,411 pinfalls for a six-frame average of 235.17, the best among all the competitors in the six-team field, while Dychangco backed him up with 1,377 pinfalls and an average of 229.50, including a tournament-high 278 in the sixth and final frame.
Malig carded 1,285 pinfalls for an average of 214.17, while Nuqui shot 1,202 for an average of 200.33.
Meanwhile, Rena Furukawa also took the spotlight by capturing the gold medal in the women’s 57 kg at the expense of Myanmar’s Myat Noe Wai Chu.
The Fil-Japanese prevailed in the golden score round to give the PH judo team its first medal in the biennial edition.
Prior to her gold-medal victory, Furukawa bested Thailand’s Senatham Orapin and Cambodia’s Daling Cheng.
Boxing, which has been the country’s source of gold mine, is also poised to deliver multiple medals with all nine boxers assured of at least a bronze medal.
Fighting their way for a spot in the finals were Josie Gabuco, Rogen Ladon, James Palicte, Eumir Marcial, and Riza Pasuit as of press time while Nesthy Petecio, Ian Clark Bautista, Marjon Pianar, and Irish Magno are scheduled to see action Friday.
The country fielded 10 boxers but the women’s 75kg was scrapped after only two fighters were listed in the weight category.
In athletics, Christine Hallasgo settled for the silver medal after leg cramps slowed her down in the last 600 meters to finish with a time of two hours, 56 minutes, and 0.70 seconds, finishing behind eventual champion Odekta Naibaho Elvina of Indonesia, who clocked 2:55.280. Vietnam’s Ngoc Hoa Hoang Thi took home the bronze with 2:57.350.
Jennifer Chan and Paul Marton Dela Cruz, meanwhile, suffered a heartbreaking 151-150 loss to the second seed Malaysians to settle for the silver medal in the mixed team compound event of archery.
In chess, Grandmaster Darwin Laylo and International Master Paulo Bersamina pocketed the silver medal in the men’s rapid team event.
The Filipinos drew with the Vietnamese, 1-1, to finish with six points for the runner-up honors.
Vietnam eventually claimed the gold with 6.5 points.
Woman Grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna and Marie Antoinette San Diego added a bronze by finishing with four points in the women’s rapid team.
The team still seeks its first gold medal since Wesley So, now an American, won in the 2011 Indonesia edition when Daniel Quizon, Bersamina, Frayna, and Shania Mae Mendoza compete in the blitz event today, May 20, and blitz team tomorrow, May 21.
Bronze medals also came in the way of rhythmic gymnast Breanna Labadan in women’s individual allaround, taekwondo jins Samuel Morrison in the men’s kyurogui -80 kg and Israel Cantos in men’s kyorugi -87 kg, weightlifter Rosegie Ramos in the women’s 49 kg, Hermie Macaranas and Ojay Fuentes in the men’s doubles canoe/kayak, and archers Dela Cruz, Flor Matan, and Johan Olaño in the men’s compound team event.
Wednesday night also saw the Sibol Wild Rift women’s team delivering the country’s first gold medal in esports.
Composed of members of the Grindsky Eris team, Angela Lozada, April Valiente, Charize Doble, Rose Ann Roble, Christine Natividad, and Giana Llanes swept Thailand, 3-0, for the top podium.
In swimming, the team of Chloe Isleta, Desirae Mangaoang, Jasmine Alkhaldi, and Miranda Renner grabbed the women’s 4x100m relay silver with a time of 4:12.36 behind eventual champion Singapore.