By Nick Giongco
CLARKFIELD, Pampanga—Host Philippines put on a show of force Sunday to send a strong message to its rivals of its mission to turn the 30th Southeast Asian Games into a one, big coming-out party.
After winning the first gold in triathlon in Subic Bay courtesy of homegrown talent John Chicano and Kim Mangrobang doing the same thing
in the women’s side, dancesport took the spotlight and sent the Philippines soaring to the top of the medal standings on opening day.
Dancesport accounted for ten gold medals while arnis saw its four men rise to the top while waiting for the women to duplicate the feat later in the day.
Sepak takraw also made a surprise contribution by its men and women’s side in the hoops category while wushu artist Agatha Wong defended her
title in the Taolou Taijiquan.
World champion gymnast Carlos Yulo lived up to his lofty billing in the all-around for what is being hyped as the first of seven gold medals he is bound to win in the next two days.
This year’s SEAG features 56 sports and a total of 530 gold medals at stake with the Philippines out to dominate with a projected output of as much as 250 top finishes.
But sports officials feel between 160-180 would be good enough to assure the overall title, a feat the Philippines last pulled off when it was the host in 2005.
What made it extra-special for Yulo was the fact that he took his first gold at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum, a venue that has been remodeled and just stone’s throw away from his house in Leveriza
Street.
Armed with a wealth of experience after winning the world championships in Stuttgart, last October, Yulo earned a score of 84.900 points.
Vietnam’s Dinh Phuong Thanh and Le Thanh Tung, who won two gold medals each in the 2017 Kuala Lumpur edition, settled for silver and bronze
medals with 82.350 and 81.700 points, respectively.
“Wala akong masabi sa suporta ng mga tao. Iba po talaga pag dito sa atin (mag-compete),” Yulo said.
“Sa totoo, mas kinabahan po ako dito compared sa world championship.”
Yulo said, noting how he didn’t feel as pressured when he competed during the worlds in Germany.
Aside from Yulo, the head-turners on Day One include Wong, who paid tribute to a dearly departed teammate.
Earning 9.67 points via swift and sharp performance, Wong said that her latest win, held at the World Trade Center in Manila, was dedicated to Rastafari Daraliay, the 11-year-old wushu practitioner who fell from the top bunk of a double-decker in September last year.
“I would like to dedicate my performance to my old teammate. This is for him,” said the regal-looking Wong, who also took the bronze in the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games.
Brunei took the silver while Vietnam the bronze in Taolou Taijiquan.
Wong’s gold was the second for the Philippines after Chicano’s romp at the Boardwalk in Subic Bay in the morning.
A native of Olongapo Cty, Chicano, who settled for silver in the swim-bike-run event two years ago in Kuala Lumpur, clocked one hour 53
minutes and 26 seconds.
It was a 1-2 finish anew for the Philippines as Kim Remolino of Cebu checked in second (1:55.03) and Indonesian Muhammad Ahlul Firman
placed third (1:57.10).
About two hours after Chicano conquest at the Subic Bay Boardwalk in Zambales, it was defending champion Mangrobang’s time to shine as she
clocked two hours and two minutes and was followed by the Fil-Am Kim Kilgroe, assuring the Philippines of a second straight 1-2 finish with
a time of 2:05.02.
Indonesian Octaria Nechtavani was a distant third with a time of 2:16.33.
Chicano, known in the triathlon circle as Rambo, was ecstatic with his golden performance, after being relegated to silver two years ago
behind Nikko Huelgas in Malaysia. Chicano crossed the finish line waving a Philippine flag to the loud
cheers of the Filipino crowd.
“I am really thankful for the support of the government and also the cheers of the crowd who welcomed me in the finish line,” said Chicano,
who led most of the way.
Chicano also gave credit to his partnership with Remolino, who both made sure that the Indonesian entry would not close in on them.
“At least we were able to defend the 1-2 finish,” added Chicano, who will recharge his batteries before kicking off his 2020 campaign with
a tournament in February.
The deluge of gold medals came less than 24 hours after a lavish opening ceremony at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan, putting the country’s quest to capture the overall crown in motion with winning
performances on other fronts as hostilities went full blast.
The winners in dancesport were Sean Mischa Aranar and Ana Leonila Nualla, the pair who grooved and glided their way to five golds in
Tango, Viennese Waltza and Five Dance events.
The tandem of Mark Jayson Gayon and May Joy Renigen also clicked in Standard Waltz and Slow Foxtrot.
In arnis, Dexter Bolambao, Nino Mark Talledo, Villardo Cunamay and Mike Banares struck hard in the men’s division.
Day Two will allow the Philippines to widen the gap with the ten other nations if the host bets make it to the finals in lawn bowls, pencak silat, sailing, duathlon, cycling, basketball 3×3, shooting,
weightlifting and wushu.
