KUALA LUMPUR – Swimmer James Deiparine gave Indonesian favorite Gagarin Nathaniel a big scare before settling for the silver medal in the men’s 100-meter breastroke final Friday night in the 29th Southeast Asian Games.
The 24-year-old national record holder emerged first at the turn and was still leading until Nathaniel made a final charge at the end to secure the gold medal in 1:01.76.
Nathaniel clocked the fastest time of the event this season and was heavily favoured to win.
But Deiparine, a favorite to win the 50-meter breastroke, gave the Indonesian a run for his money by clocking 1:02.11, a shade slower than his Philippine record of 1:02.00.
Third place went to Radomyos Matjiur of Thailand who did 1:02.24.
It was the best showing so far for a Filipino swimmer, one of three silvers won by the country for the day.
Earlier, the Philippines lost to Thailand in one tennis final.
Twins Sonchai and Sanchat Ratiwatana of Thailand outlasted Ruben Gonzales Jr. and Francis Casey Alcantara, 6-4, 2-6, 10-7, to retain the men’s doubles title at the National Tennis Center.
Both nations also faced in the final in 2015, although Gonzales was paired with Jeson Patrombon.
Gonzales returned to the court with Denise Dy in the mixed doubles semis which they lost to Thais Sanchai Ratiwatana
and Nicha L., 6-2, 7-6.
After taking five golds Thursday, the Filipinos settled for five bronzes to add to the three silvers, one coming in lawn bowls where Hazel Jagonoy, Rosita Bradborn and Vilma Greenlees lost to Malaysia in the women’s triples final.
Fil-German Katharina Lehnert and Dy were awarded the bronze in women’s doubles while the rest came from athletics.
With five days left, the Philippines has 15 golds, 23 silvers, and 36 bronzes to remain sixth in the medal standings.
The top five nations remain unchanged:
Malaysia 65 golds, Vietnam 40, Singapore 35, Thailand 31, and Indonesia 19.
Fil-Americans Anthony Beram and Eric Cray powered the Philippines to a bronze medal finish in the 4 x 100-meter run, the first time it made the podium since bagging silver in 2005 in Manila.
Despite strong leg runs, the Fil-American duo failed to threaten Thailand which shattered the Games record with a time of 38.90 seconds.
Indonesia pocketed the silver in 39.05 seconds, just a fraction of a second ahead of the Filipinos who came in 39.11 seconds.
The quartet of Zion Rose Nelson, Kyla Richardson, Kayla Richardson, and Eloiza Luzon finished third in the women’s 4 x 100-meter relay for the bronze medal.
The PH runners clocked 44.81 seconds behind gold medal winner Vietnam which broke the Games record with a time of 43.88 seconds. Malaysia took the bronze in 44.62 seconds.
In the women’s long jump, Marestella Torres-Sunang was beaten in third place after making only two legal jumps. She leaped 6.45 meters to settle for the bronze.
Vietnamese Bui Thi Thu Thao captured the gold in 6.68 meters with Indonesian Maria Natalia Londa taking the silver in 6.47 meters.
Sunang had a chance to improve her jump but hesitated near the takeoff point and ended stepping on the sand without leaping.
Melvin Cafano accounted for the other gold in athletics when he placed third in the men’s javelin throw.
The Philippines can still salvage the gold in golf after both teams won their opening matchplay assignments at the Mines Resort and Golf Club.
The men’s squad defeated Malaysia, 2-1, while the women’s team humbled Vietnam, 2.5-0.5.
Rupert Zaragosa trounced Ervin Chang, 5 & 4, while Carl Corpus humbled Galven, 3 & 2.
Danial Bin Azizan scored the lone win for the host country when he edged Paolo Wong, 1-up.
In women’s play, Lois Kaye Go secured the win by beating Hanako Kawasaki, 1-up. The other match ended in draw between Harmie Constantino and Nguyen Thao My.
The finals will be held Saturday.
Bowling drew to a close with Liza del Rosario and Krizziah Tabora failing to advance into the stepladder finals.
Del Rosario had a 16-game series of 3330 for 13th place while Tabora finished 16th and last with 3199.
Meanwhile, the search for the gold medals continues Saturday with the start of competitions in badminton, judo, muay, and taekwondo.
