Uy blows golden bid in last 16 secs
Kristopher Robert Uy of the Philippines was just 16 seconds away from victory in his gold medal match against reigning world champion Dimitry Shokin of Uzbekistan close to midnight Monday.
But the Filipino entry in the +87 kg class of the Asian Taekwondo Championships couldn’t hold his ground, blowing a 4-3 lead in the closing seconds to eventually lose the golden match, 7-4.
“I was very close, I was 16 seconds away,” said Uy after receiving the silver medal yesterday at the Marriott Grand Ballroom.
Uy, 26, born in Berkeley, California and now finishing his studies at La Salle, was headed to a stunning win when he landed a roundhouse kick to Shokin’s head for a 4-1 lead.
But Shokin, the first world taekwondo champion from Uzbekistan, charged back. Down 4-3 and time winding down, he connected on a turning kick to Uy’s body to go up, 6-4.
“I was trying to hold to the lead and he took that Hail Mary shot. Time was running out so I charged in and he scored another point. I was very close,” said Uy, gold winner in the 2013 SEA Games.
Shokin, 23, was hailed as a hero back home after he won the gold in the 2015 World Championships in Chelyabinsk, Russia. It was a first for his country.
Last year, he was simply unstoppable in the +87 class. He won almost every major tournament he joined and finished the year on top.
Shokin also ruled the Turkish Open, Australian Open, Universiade, Korean Open, Kazakhstan Open and two Grand Prix events in Manchester and Moskau, Germany.
In this Asian Taekwondo Championships, nothing changed.
Uy was the closest thing to a gold medal for the Philippines a day after the local poomsae bets bagged three gold, five silver and six bronze medals last Monday.
Kirstie Elaine Alora, who clinched a berth to the Rio Olympics with a silver medal finish in the Olympic qualifiers over the weekend, settled for the bronze in the -73 class.
Alora lost to Cambodia’s Seavmey Sorn in the semis, 1-0. It was her second defeat to Sorn, who delivered Cambodia’s lone gold in the 2014 Asian Games, in this Asian meet.
Six other Filipino bets failed to land in the podium – from Rhezie Aragon (-53) to Francis Aaron Agojo (-58), to Jenar Torillos (-54) and Rhezie Aragon (-53), to Arven Alcantara (-63) and Karen Cells (-46), to Levita Ronna Ilao (-49).
All’s not lost for the Philippines as four more entries led by 2013 Asian Youth Games gold medalist Pauline Louise Lopez (-57) swing into action in today’s final day of competition.
The other vying for medals for the local bets are Kit Sembrano (-68), Eddtone Lumasac (-74) and Shanelle Romuar (-62).
Lopez will spearhead the final drive after missing out on the Rio Olympic slot last Sunday.