By REY C. LACHICA
HANGZHOU, China – Tokyo Olympic veteran Eumir Marcial gave Mongolia’s Dalai Ganzorig a neat lesson in boxing while two-time Olympic swimming medalist Kayla Sanchez failed in her first test in the Asian Games here.
A bronze medal winner in last year’s Summer Games, Marcial was simply too classy for his Mongolian rival, scoring a lopsided 5-0 win to advance to the Round-of-16 in the men’s 80-kilogram match that capped the day’s busy schedule in boxing.
Marcial’s victory gave PH boxing a 2-2 record for the day ater
Irish Magno, also a Tokyo Games veteran, suffered a shock 5-0 defeat to Nigina Uktamova of Uzbekistan in their women’s 54-kg class.
Even the presence of Sanchez, a noted relay astist, was not enough to turn the tide as the country’s 4x100m freestyle could only finish fifth.
The quartet of Sanchez, Xiandie Chua, Tiea Salvino and Jasmine Alkhadi stopped the clocked at 3:44.31 in the event won by the Chinese team in a record-shattering performance of 3:33.96.
Despite finishing a far fifth, Sanchez and company can console themselves well after bettering the PH record mark 3:47.05 which were set by Alkhaldi, Remedy Rule, Chua and Nicole Oliva four years ago.
Japan settled for second in 3:38.48 followed by Hong Kong-China (3:39.10) and Singapore (3:44.16).
There was no complain on the part of Sanchez, saying it was a great honor to have Filipino girls on her side.
“This time is really special,” said Sanchez. “A lot of swimmers in the team, myself included, and I think this is a good starting point.”
Sanchez is hoping to bounce back strong in her three individual events.
Meantime, Mark Ashley Fajardo made sure his debut in the 19th Asian Games would be remembered in the years to come when he scored a first round knockout of Bhutan’s Dorji Wangdi at the start of boxing competitions Sunday at Hangzhou gymnasium here.
As if he had date with someone special, Fajardo unleashed a booming left to the jaw that dropped his foe like a log to the canvas.
The Bhutan did try to beat the mandatory eight count, but failed as he was feeling weak, prompting the referee to stop the bout at the 2:21 mark.
“Nagulat ako. Hindi ko inasahan na ganun ang mangyayari,” said the soft-spoken boxer.
The impressive win somehow soothed the pain of Aira Villegas’ defeat earlier in the women’s 50 kg class.
The 28-year-old Filipina suffered a 3-1 defeat to Mongolia’s Yesugen Oyuntsetseg.
