SINGAPORE — A deluge of nine gold medals allowed the Philippines to climb to fifth spot in the medal tally on Wednesday before dropping back to sixth after a late victory by Indonesia in the 28th Southeast Asian Games.
Five gold medals in boxing, a twinkill in softball, another gold in billiards courtesy of Dennis Orcollo, and a second gold medal in the Games from Fil-Am Eric Cray gave the Philippines 21 gold medals at the end of Day Five.
The haul not only allowed the Philippines, which also has 23 silvers and 34 bronzes, to overtake Myanmar (11-19-19) but also surpass Indonesia at one point on Wednesday.
But a late gold allowed Indonesia to match the Philippines' 21 gold medals and regain fifth spot by virtue of more medals won (21-28-42).
Boxing’s harvest came from Mario Fernandez, Eumir Marcial, Ian Clark Bautista, Junel Cantancio, and Josie Gabuco as the boxers surpassed their three-gold haul total in the 2013 Games in Myanmar.
The Philippine Blu Boys and Blu Girls, on the other hand, defeated Thailand and Indonesia, respectively, to reassert their supremacy in the softball competitions.
Dennis Orcollo beat Myanmar’s Maung Maung, 9-4, after trailing 1-3 to add another gold for billiards that had also produced winners in Carlo Biado and Warren Kiamco in the men’s 9-ball doubles and Chezka Centeno in the women’s 9-ball singles.
A day after winning the 100m run, Cray captured the 400-meter hurdles gold in grand fashion, setting a new SEA Games record of 49.76 seconds for athletics’ fourth mint in the biennial meet.
Athletics got three silver medals on Wednesday with sprint queen Kayla Richardson settling for silver in the 200m run, Jesson Cid finishing second in decathlon and Mervin Guarte ending as runner-up in the men’s 800m run.
Boxers Rogen Ladon, Nesthy Petecio, and Irish Magno failed to win their final bouts on Wednesday.
It was actually a 2-3 finish for decathlon in athletics, with Janry Ubas also getting the bronze in the event. Rosie Villarito placed third in the women’s javelin throw but Marestella Torres, a favorite to win the women’s long jump, only got a bronze in her event.
After winning a gold medal on Tuesday, gymnast Reyland Capellan took the bronze in the men’s vault. Jemyca Aribado suffered a semifinal loss to a Malaysian, settling for a bronze medal.
In other team sports results, the Gilas Pilipinas cadets men’s basketball team beat Indonesia, 81-52, while the Perlas Pilipinas women’s basketball squad downed Vietnam, 100-55, for a 1-1 win-loss card.
The women’s volleyball team suffered a straight sets loss to Indonesia, but their men’s counterpart won in four sets over Malaysia.
Source: Reuben Terrado of Spin.ph
