By REY BANCOD
The Philippines collected its third bronze medal in wushu and toppled Korea in women’s softball to make up for its stirring losses in other fronts in the 2018 Asian Games Monday in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia.
Southeast Asian Games champion Agatha Wong, bucking recurring tendinitis and a battered right knee, came through with a strong performance in the taijijian to complete a third place finish in the women’s taijiquan and taijijian all-around event.
The 20-year-old College of St. Benilde student earned 9.68 to salvage the bronze after finishing only fifth in the taijiquan Sunday.
“I was so nervous because I placed fifth in the first discipline. I had to make sure of an impressive performance in the second discipline so I can have a chance,” said Wong, who won the gold in taijiquan and silver in taijijian in the SEA Games last year in Kuala Lumpur.
Wong finished with 19.36 points, bettered only by Indonesian gold winner Lindswell Lindswell (19.50) and silver medalist Juanita Mok of Hong Kong (19.42).
The other bright spot came in women’s softball where the Blu Girls stormed to their second straight victory at the expense of South Korea, 5-3.
Right fielder Reese Guevarra scored the insurance run in the upper seventh inning off Chelsea Suitos’ hit to centerfield.
Sierra Lange preserved the win by striking out the Korean batters she faced in the final frame.
“This is a very important win for us,” said national coach Fernando Dizer. “Nakatapak na ang isang paa namin sa next round.”
The Blu Girls were set to return to the mound to face China.
The top four teams after the single-round robin will battle it out via the page system.
After accounting for two bronze medals Sunday, taekwondo athletes went home empty-handed.
Jenar Torillos lost a close 27-26 decision to Chen Xiaoyi of China in the men’s -58kg. division while Rhezie Aragon bowed to Sheidaei Elaheh of Iran, 10-2, in the women’s -53kg class.
Darlen Mae Arpon, competing in the women’s -67kg, advanced into the quarterfinals but was outclassed by Japanese Jandi Kim, 29-0.
In fencing, two of the country’s brightest stars were eliminated in the Round of 16 of women’s individual foil.
Maxine Esteban, a 17-year-old freshman, lost to Sera Azuma of Japan, 15-8, while Samantha Kyle Catantan, 16, of the University of the East went down to Liu Yan Wai of Hong Kong, 15-14.
Esteban and Catantan earlier hurdled their assignments in the Round of 32 at the expense of Ho Peng I of Macau, 15-9, and Thongchampa Ploypailin of Thailand, 15-6, respectively.
A pair of sixth place finishes from 22-year-old rookies marked the country’s campaign in cycling.
John Derrick Farr finished eight second slower than gold medalist Khoiful Mukhib of Indonesia while Leah Belgira came in 22 seconds behind another Indonesian winner Tiara Andini Prastika.
Oscar Rodriguez, a cycling official, attributed the Indonesian sweep to hometown advantage.
While the home riders had the luxury of three months familiarizing themselves with the course, the rest of the field were allowed only three hours on the eve of the event, according to Rodriguez.
Over in Palembang, Filipino shooters ended up firing blanks.
Jayson Valdez and Amparo Teresa Acuna wound up 17th and 40th, respectively in the 10m air rifle events.
Hagen Topacio, on the other hand, brought up the rear in the six-man final in the men’s trap.
Also in Palembang, Alberto Lim Jr. and Jeson Patrombon bowed out of the men’s singles following losses to Chinese rivals.
Lim was beaten by Zhang Zhizhen, 6-4, 6-2 while Patrombon lost to Wu Yibing, 6-2, 6-1.
The Philippines fared poorly in swimming and weightlifting.
Swimmer Jasmine Alkhaldi finished seventh in the women’s 100-meter freestyle with a time of 56.29 seconds, more than three seconds behind Japanese Rikako Ikee who set a new Games record of 53.27 seconds.
Lifters Nestor Colonia and Elien Rose Perez finished out of the podium in their respective divisions.
Colonia heaved 253 kilograms for seventh place in the men’s 56kg while Perez was in 11th spot with a lift of 154 kgs in the women’s 48kg.