By REY C. LACHICA
HANGZHOU, China — Drawing strength from the inspiring win of pole vault king EJ Obiena a night ago, Patrick Coo survived an early spill and joined a short list of medalists from Team Philippines with a bronze medal showing in the BMX racing of cycling in the 19th Asian Games on Sunday, Oct. 1.
With his dare-devil kind of riding, Coo scrapped the upper part of his right thigh after crashing in the first moto of the 12-cyclist contest but endured the pain to become the 7th Filipino bronze medal winner so far after 9 days of intense competitions in various fronts.
Team PH has 1 gold and 1 silver – still way, way behind the medal board that it needs miracle wins in weightlifting, boxing, karate and jiu-jitsu in the half of the 19-day continental showpiece to match its 4-gold haul the last time.
The day’s biggest heartbreaker was weightlifter John Febuar Ceniza who lost the bronze by just one kilo in the men’s 61kg – no thanks to poor showing in the clean & jerk where he managed only 163 for 297 total. Korean Kim Chungguk made 171kg for 298.
China’s Li Fabin took the gold in a new meet record of 310kg while another Korean in Pak Myongjoin got the silver in 307kg.
“I’m very happy but hurting for sure,” said the 21-year-old Coo, added that his pants was ripped due to the impact of the crash in the event held in Chun’an.
Japan’s Asuma Nakai, winner of the bronze in the UCI world championships last year in Nantes (France), took the gold, while SEAG champion Komet Sukpraset of Thailand bagged the silver.
After Obiena’s record-breaking win, focus will shift on Tokyo Games gold medal winner Hidilyn Diaz.
But little is expected from the Tokyo Games heroine as Diaz is now competing in a heavier weight category. She reigned in the Tokyo Games as well as the Indonesia Asiad while competing in the 55kg.
Tokyo Games silver medal winner Carlo Paalam returns to the ring on Tuesday, and like Marcial, is also facing a dangerous rival in reigning world champion Uzbek Abdulmalik Khalokov in the quarters of their men’s 57-kilogram class.
It marked the third straight time a BMX rider won a medal for Team PH in the event with Danny Caluag winning the gold in the Incheon 2014 and a bronze in Indonesia edition five years ago.
Caluag settled for 6th place, perhaps his age of 36 taking its toll on him.
Coo, an Olympic Solidarity scholar, thanked Philippine Olympic Committee President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, who heads PhilCycling.
“This could kick off more major accomplishments for Patrick,” Tolentino said. “He’s only 21, so young, and he’s been training seriously and diligently the past year or so under the Olympic Solidarity program.”
Over at the Olympic stadium, Fil-Am Kristina Knott advanced to the final round of the women’s 200m while John Tolentino also marched to the medal round of the men’s 110mm hurdles with both runners also need to kick to higher gear if they are to finish in the top 3.
Another big disappointment for this year’s edition were the men’s and women’s golfers.
Proud winners of three medals in the Indonesia Games in 2019, including the two golds produced by Fil-Japanese Yuka Saso in the individual and team events, this time the golf team will go home empty-handed.
The top finisher was pro Clyde Mondilla who ended up in joint 10th in men’s individual medley while teen sensation Riannie Malixi settled for 11th in the women’s side at the West Lake International Golf Course in Xihu District here yesterday.
After an encouraging start, shooter Hagen Topacio self-destructed in the Trap-50m men’s qualification and failed to make in to the shoot-off after finishing outside of the Top 10 with 117 total. He topped the first phase of qualification with 74.
Topacio and teammates Carlos Carag and Eric Ang also failed to make it in the team event won by India with 361 points while PH shooters managed only 338.
