BY NICK GIONGCO AND KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
CLARKFIELD, Pampanga – The Philippines drew another premium performance from gymnast star Carlos Yulo and wushu’s Agatha Wong while arnis capped its campaign with aplomb Tuesday in the 30th Southeast Asian Games whose calendar of events have undergone major changes owing to Typhoon Tisoy.
Yulo jumped and somersaulted his way in topping his pet event – the floor exercise – for his second gold medal in three days at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
The 19-year-old prodigy put on another powerful performance, tallying 14.700 points, 0.050 points higher than his qualification mark.
It was a fitting sequel to his inspiring individual all-around performance Sunday in his debut appearance in the biennial meet.
Thailand’s Tikumporn Surintornta settled for silver with 13.833 points, while Malaysia’s Zul Bahrin Mat Asri clinched bronze with 13.767.
Reyland Capellan, who ruled the event in the 2017 Kuala Lumpur edition, finished fifth with 13.433.
Yulo guns for two more golds when he competes in the still rings and pommel horse at press time.
The list of big wushu contributors to the Philippines’ cause includes Agatha Wong, who won her second gold medal after ruling the taijijian event, and sanda entries Divine Sally, Jessie Aligaga, Arnel Manda, Franciso Solis and Clemente Tabugara.
Wong’s latest win was her second after she had ruled the taijiquan on Sunday in competitions held in Manila.
It was a sweet victory for Wong, who had settled for the silver two years ago in Kuala Lumpur.
Wong earned a score of 9.65 while Thu Minh Huyen Tran of Vietnam took the silver with a 9.63 and bronze went to Brunei’s Basma women’s 48 kg; Aligaga clipped Indonesian Permana Ade, 2-0, in the men’s 48 kg; Mandal downed Indonesian Laksamama Pratama in the men’s 52 kg class, 2-0; Solis defeated another Indonesian, Yusuf Widiyanto, 2-0, in the 56 kg; and Clemente Tabugara whipped Thai Kittisak Suksanguan, 2-1, in the men’s 65 kg.
As Wong and his teammates were dazzling the crowd and the judges at the World Trade Center, arnis also made a major move in Angeles City as Crisamuel Delfin and Mary Aldeguer ruled the non-traditional open weapon events at the Angeles University Foundation.
Delfin stamped his class in the men’s category, beating Van Huynh of Vietnam for the top spot and the duo of Yar Zar Tun of Myanmar and Sila Chhem of Cambodia, who both bagged the bronze.
Aldeguer also had to outperform Thi Hoai Trieu of Vietnam for top honors. Naing Sheilar Min of Myanmar and Soumala Eng of Cambodia were awarded the bronze medals in the women’s side.
In grand total, arnis won 14 out of 20 gold medals at stake, a feat that ticked the fancy of its biggest benefactor, Sen. Migz Zubiri, who heads the sport.
Their early contributions put the Philippines medal output to 46 gold, 24 silver and 15 bronze medals, way ahead of closest pursuers Vietnam (18-24-18) and Indonesia (11-14-13) as of 4 pm of Tuesday.
Malaysia (10-2-8) and Thailand (7-9-16) make up the top five.
During the first day of competitions, the Philippines zoomed to the top with 22 and then added 16 on Monday.
Meanwhile, the swimming competitions begin Wednesday at the Aquatics Center in New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac, with the host aiming to end a ten-year gold medal drought.
FINE START
Meantime, two Philippine teams made their way to the quarterfinals of the men’s 9-ball doubles after picking up easy victories over their Malaysian counterparts at the Tent City, Manila Hotel.
Carlo Biado and Johann Chua downed Jken Yung Kok and Almie Muhammad 9-2 before Warren Kiamco and Jeffrey Ignacio rolled past Darryl Chia Soo Yew and Ibrahim Bin Amir 9-3.
Biado and Chua are slated to face the winner of the first round affair between Indonesia’s Jefry Zen and Irsal Afrinneza Nasution and Laos’ Anonhsak Obmalay and Hongsavady Vongxay in a quarterfinal match being held at presstime.
Both Filipino squads are aiming to forge an all-Filipino title showdown and regain the gold the country lost in the 2017 Kuala Lumpur Games when Kiamco and Dennis Orcollo settled for bronze.
Biado and Kiamco ruled the 2015 edition held in Singapore but will now be opposing sides of the fence.
“Pag once na ma-reach namin yung final na both Philippines, kahit sino na manalo,” said Kiamco.
Jefrey Roda and Alvin Barbero were playing Anoulouth Khounpanya and Daophachan Phoutthabandit of Laos at presstime in snookers doubles.
Meanwhile, attention will be on Efren “Bata” Reyes as he begins his gold medal bid in carom against Punyawee Thongchai of Thailand at 4 p.m. Wednesday at the same venue.
Reyes is eyeing his first gold in the biennial meet and a victory in front of his hometown fans.
