Olympian schooling disqualified

Olympian Joseph Schooling’s gold was taken back after Singapore’s print relay team was disqualified. Schooling, Quah Zheng Wen, Jonathan Tan and Mikkel Lee were disqualified when one of their swimmers had left his blocks early at a change over. Schooling 26, upset Michael Phelps to win the 100m butterfly in the Rio Olympics. He has won 27 Sea Games gold with three Asian Games golds. The disqualification ends Singapore’s winning streak to the Sea Games 4x100 free style relays dating back in 2001. Malaysia was second but was also disqualified for the same offense. Vietnam was awarded the gold, Indonesia, silver and Thailand bronze. The official timing showed one of the swimmers had left the blocks at the changeover 0.12 seconds before the incoming swimmer and touched the wall.

SINGAPORE BILLIARDS KING DETHRONED

Singapore billiard king Peter Gilchrist, who has won six billiard golds in a row at the Sea Games dating back to 2009, was dethroned in the Hanoi Games Tuesday. Gilchrist lost 3-1 to Myanmar’s Paul Sa, 63. The two-time reigning Sportsman of the Year had won the gold medal at every edition of the biennial Games. Gilchrist 54, however said he plans to reclaim the gold in next year’s Sea Games in Cambodia. In another monumental upset, World No 1 pool player Aloysius Yapp lost his repetitive 9-Ball singles, semi-finals 9-7 to Carlo Biado of the Philippines. World 29 Biado, the 2017 World 9-Ball champion, also defeated him in the US Open September of last year. Gilchrist however avenged his loss to Paul Sa when he won the gold in the doubles while teaming up with Alex Puan. Sa and partner Min Sithu Tun lost 3-1.

HALLASGO SECOND IN MARATHON

Christine Hallasgo of the Philippines suffered cramps in the last 600 meters to settle for second in the Hanoi Sea Games Marathon. Hallasgo clocked 2:56:07 to fall short to champion. Olympian Odekta Naibaho of Indonesia who timed 2:55:28. Ngoc Hoa Haong Thi wound up third in 2:57:35. The Philippine Athletics team won five gold medals courtesy of EJ Obiena, Eric Gray, Kyla Richardson, William Morrison and Clinton Bautista. The 2019 haul was 11 gold, 8 silver and 8 bronze medals. Vietnam emerged Athletics champion with 22 gold, 15 silver and 8 bronze medals.