SEA Games: Philippines hikes gold haul

By Nick Giongco

CLARKFIELD, Pampanga – Phil­ippine track and field made a startling discovery Friday when little-known Christine Hallasgo crowned herself as the region’s marathon queen on a day obstacle course, modern pentathlon, and golf joined hands in giving the host country a push going into the halfway mark of the 30th Southeast Asian Games.

Hallasgo’s morning feat was followed by gold medals bagged by Michael Comaling in modern pen­tathlon, Mervin Guarte and Sandi Abahan in obstacle course, and Bianca Pagdanganan in women’s individual golf.

Hallasgo, whose inclusion to the national team was only formalized this year by way of the National Open, bested the undisputed queen of Philippine marathon Mary Joy Tabal, also the SEAG defending champion at the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.

Going into the race, Hallasgo, 27, wasn’t actually eyeing to bag the top prize, adding all she wanted was a podium finish since she wanted athletics to have a strong start.

But when she saw the Japan-trained Tabal melting away in the final stages, Hallasgo, who just trained on local shores, made her move and pulled off the biggest win of her career.

At around the same time Hal­lasgo was celebrating, former middle distance runner Mervin Guarte and Sandi Abahan swept the individual 5Kx20 event in obstacle course in Alabang, Muntinplupa. Gloerien Merisco made it a 1-2 finish in the women’s after coming in second to Abahan.

Comaling was not to be outshone by the early winner as he ruled the Beach Triathlete Individual in mod­ern pentathlon.

Over at the fairway at Luisita in Tarlac, Pagdanganan beat Kan Bun­nabodee of Thailand for the gold in individual play after hitting a one-under 71 for a three-day total of 209. Bunnabodee carded a final round 72 for a 212 total while teammate Pim­nipa Panthong also did a 71 for 213.

Pagdanganan, 21, was a vital part of the team that won gold in the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games alongside Yuka Saso and Lois Go.

As of 4 p.m. Friday, the Philip­pines has 70 gold medals (49 silver and 36 bronze), way ahead of Viet­nam’s 33-37-42 and Indonesia’s 31-36-42.

Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Bambol Tolentino feels the country is on its way to tak­ing the overall crown in the 11-nation biennial sportsfest.

“If we hit 130 gold medals, that’ll be enough for us to be assured of No. 1 in the standings,” said Tolentino, who is looking forward to seeing more golds coming in the next few days as the 11-day regional meet enters the homestretch.

Action is indeed heating up with swimming dangling six more gold medals late Friday and boxing enter­ing the medal rounds.

In the third day of competitions in the pool at the eye-catching Aquatics Center also in the historic town of Capas, seven swimmers go for gold alongside the men’s 4×100 freestyle.

Boxing, where 13 gold medals are going to be contested, saw two Filipinos getting the pink slip. Fil-British John Marvin lost in his open­ing light-heavyweight bout opposite a Vietnamese on Wednesday.

Aira Villegas dropped her ban­tam clash with Thailand’s Nilawan Techasup during Friday’s early-afternoon matches.
Carlo Paalam, the Asian Games bronze medalist, downed Mohd Fuad of Malaysia in their bantam duel.

Paalam is now assured of a bronze.

Those still in the hunt include fly Rogen Ladon, lightweight Charly Suarez and middle Eumir Marcial and light-fly Josie Gabuco and fly Irish Magno.

Meanwhile, Tokyo Olympics-bound EJ Obiena performs in the men’s pole vault on Saturday, nurs­ing hopes of finally ending his hunt for the SEAG gold medal.

In 2015 in Singapore, the 6-2 Obiena settled for the silver and two years later in Kuala Lumpur he begged off owing to an injury.

Obiena, who made the Olympic grade last September during his Eu­ropean campaign, begins his quest at 5:30 p.m.

If everything falls into place, Obi­ena’s mission here will be successful since his best effort of 5.80 meters is clearly superior to the 5.35 SEAG record set by Porranot Purahong of Thailand two years ago in Malaysia.

Source: Manila Bulletin