By Jonas Terrado

The Philippine Blu Boys blanked Indonesia 9-0 in five innings Saturday to arrange a showdown with Singapore for the gold in the 30th Southeast Asian Games at The Villages in Clark Field, Pampanga.

The Blu Boys leaned on a three-run first inning to secure a convincing win in the knockout game of the page system semifinals.

With the win, the national batters try to retain the gold and erase the bitter memory of losing to Singapore 4-3 in Friday’s opening round of the page system semis.

Their match is set Sunday morning at 10 a.m.

Sunday will also see the Philippines shoot for gold in women’s softball and men’s baseball.

The Blu Girls take on Indonesia at 9 a.m. for the women’s softball gold while the national clouters try to win a third baseball crown against Thailand at 1 p.m.

Advantage is on the Blu Girls after ripping the Indonesians 11-1 in the eliminations while the PH baseball squad survived Thailand 3-2 in their previous meeting.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Waylon Galvez

Girl power delivers again for the Philippine fencing team.

The team of Harlene Raguin, Hanniel Abella, Anna Gabriella Estimada and Mickyle Rein Bustos claimed the gold medal following a 45-38 win over Singapore in epee event in the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games Saturday at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.

Abella, the 26-year-old silver medal winner in the individual epee category, delivered the needed closing points for the Philippines, which now has a total of two gold medals, two silvers and six bronzes.

The win also marked the first time for the epee team to capture the gold in the biennial meet.

More than their feat of winning the gold medal, it was all about coming through together for the epee team when it mattered most after all the sacrifices they went through to be in this position.

“Ako sobrang memorable para sakin ito, kasi dapat magre-retire na ako,” said the 36-year-old Raguin, whose first SEA Games stint was in 2003 Hanoi. “Pero pina-balik nila ako para tulungan yung team. This is a very good exit for me.”

“Sobrang saya, kasi nagbunga lahat ng sakripisyo namin,” said the 31-year-old Estimada. “Iba sa amin took a leave sa work, and then yung isa sa amin (Abella) nag-resign. She gave up on her dream job just to focus on fencing.”

The national team defeated Vietnam in the semifinals 44-33, while Singapore defeated Thailand 45-37 in the other semifinal pairing. Vietnam and Thailand both earned bronze medals.

The team’s win gave the Philippines its second gold medal after Jylyn Nicaor delivered the first with a come-from-behind triumph in women’s individual sabre last Thursday.

Philippine Fencing Association president, Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez understands the euphoria of winning since himself won a gold medal with the men’s epee team in 2005 SEA Games here.

“I’m very happy kasi historic ito for women’s team epee. This is the first time na makapanalo ang women’s team epee ng isang gold,” said Gomez. “The last gold na nakuha ng women’s individual was way back in 1993 Singapore SEA Games pa.

“Pero hindi pa kami tapos, meron pang two events (team competitions tomorrow, Sunday in foil an d epee), and we’re hoping na we’ll clinch more medals, hopefully gold makuha namin.”

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Erma Edera

Lightning struck not once but thrice for the Philippines as poomsae delivered three gold medals at the start of taekwondo events Saturday in the 30th Southeast Asian Games at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Rodolfo Reyes Jr., the sixth jin to perform in the event scored 8.439 points in the men’s individual that catapulted him to first place in the seven-man tournament.

He was followed by Thailand Sengmueang Pattarapong with 8.199 points while Shine Sun of Myanmar and Malaysia’s Anak Grocer August shared the bronze with a total score 7.849 points each.

Reyes, who won a bronze medal in the 2017 SEAG in Kuala Lumpur, had an average score of 3.01 for accuracy, 4.77 for presentation with a total score of 7.84.

He was also part of the trio that nabbed the gold medal in the men’s team poomsae event in the 2015 SEA Games.

Jocel Lyn Ninobla later captured the second gold after she ruled the women’s individual poomsae with a total score of 8.433.

It was a close match for women’s event as Ninobla bested Ornawee Srishakit of Thailand by a .001 point difference to win the gold. Vietnam’s Le Tran Kim Uyen placed third with 8.149 points.

The four-time SEA Games defending team champions composed of Reyes, Dustin Jacob Mella and Raphael Enrico Mella snared the third gold after delivering a flawless performance in the men’s team poomsae event.

The trio registered a total of 8.483 points.

In the mixed pair recognized poomsae taekwondo event, the country’s representatives settled for silver after Rinna Babanto and Dustin Jacob Mella fell short of winning the gold medal after they got a total score of 8.233, just .050 points away from Malaysia, which scored 8.283 points.

The Thailand team rounded out the podium with their bronze medal performance garnering a score of 8.099.

The country’s women’s taekwondo poomsae team grabbed the second silver for PH after garnering a total of 7.999 points, lagging behind the Thailand team with 8.399 points. The Vietnam team copped the bronze with 7.866 points.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Kristel Satumbaga

Francis Casey Alcantara and Jeson Patrombon survived the more experienced Treat Huey and Ruben Gonzales Jr. 7-6 (2), 7-5 to capture the men’s doubles gold medal in the 30th Southeast Asian Games tennis competition at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

Alcantara and Patrombon, both former top local junior champions, grinded it all out after training 5-3 in the opening set to sustain the momentum going to their first SEAG gold medal.

Huey and Gonzales, the top seed in the field, settled for silver.

“Unbelievable feeling,” said Alcantara. “They’re (Huey and Gonzales) great players. They’re our teammates in the Davis Cup, but it just feels good to win the gold for the first time.”

In the 2017 Kuala Lumpur edition, Alcantara teamed up with Gonzales and settled for the men’s double silver.

“I think it’s a start of a great partnership,” said Alcantara, a native of Cagayan de Oro.

Though up against teammates, Patrombon admitted nerves got into him.

“First time din kasi naming mag-finals kaya may konting kaba rin sa simula,” the Iligan native said.

Alcantara couldn’t imagine that he finally achieved his dreams of winning the gold medal, recalling that he wanted to be part of the national team while watching the 2005 Manila SEAG then topbilled by Cecil Mamiit and Eric Taino.

Unseeded in the tournament, Alcantara and Patrombon never dropped a set with victories over Timor Leste’s Patricio Jose Ferreira and Antonio Mendes, 6-1, 6-1; third seed David and Anthony Susanto of Indonesia, 6-4, 6-0; and Vietnam’s Daniel Cao Nguyen and Van Phuong Nguyen, 6-3, 6-1.

The Philippine team ended the biennial meet with one gold and one silver, surpassing its two silver and two bronze medal haul in 2017.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Jonas Terrado

Defending champion Chezka Centeno and Rubilen Amit arranged another all-Filipino final after winning their semifinal matches Saturday in the women’s 9-ball singles of the 30th Southeast Asian Games at the Tent City of the Manila Hotel.

Centeno cruised to a 7-1 thrashing of Singapore’s Tan Hui Ming while Amit downed Vutthiphan Kongkaket 7-2 to set up a third straight duel for the gold in the 9-ball event of the distaff side.

It will be the second final duel for Centeno and Amit in these SEA Games after winning their semifinal matches in women’s 10-ball singles last Friday.

Both were disputing the women’s 10-ball gold at press time with Amit seeking to defend the crown she won in 2013 Nay Pyi Taw Games. Ten-ball was scrapped in 2015 and 2017.

They’ll meet for the women’s 9-ball gold at 7 p.m. Sunday evening, with Centeno aiming to win for the third straight time and Amit determined to avenge her two defeats in the 2015 and 2017 finals.

The two were also to complete their initial goal of setting up an all-Philippine affair for the gold in both singles events, their place in the podium as the only question mark.

The semifinal triumphs was part of a hectic Saturday schedule for the two women cue artists.

Centeno and Amit started the day as teammates, defeating Vietnam’s Thi Ngoc Le and Bui Xuan Vang in the opening round of the women’s 9-ball doubles.

They’ll play Thailand’s Kongkaket and Sasiwimon Wannaphathip in the quarters slated 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon.

Meanwhile, the second Philippine team in women’s 9-ball doubles composed of veteran Iris Ranola and debutant Floriza Andal suffered an early exit after a 7-5 loss to Malaysia’s Siew Boon Lim and Poi Sei Wong.

Carlo Biado also ended his SEAG stint in disappointment, bowing to Indonesia’s Ismail Kadir 9-2 in the quarterfinals of the men’s 10-ball singles.

Biado finished the 2019 meet with just one bronze which came earlier this week in the men’s 9-ball doubles alongside Johann Chua. He won gold in the men’s 9-ball event of the 2015 Singapore Games and the men’s 9-ball singles of the 2017 edition in Kuala Lumpur.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Kristel Satumbaga

Last year, cancer survivor Daniela Dela Pisa only wanted to be part of the national team. Now, she is a Southeast Asian Games gold medalist.

Two days after Carlos Yulo shone in the men’s artistic gymnastics, Dela Pisa took the spotlight on yesterday after copping a gold and two bronze medals in the rhythmic gymnastics at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

The 15-year-old Palarong Pambansa standout topped the hoops event with 17.750 points, edging Malaysians Izzah Amzan (16.500) and Amy Dict Weg Kwan (15.900).

The Cebuano native followed it up with bronze finishes in balls (15.600) and clubs (16.100).

Dela Pisa was the first Filipino rhythmic gymnast to win a SEAG gold since Maria Victoria Alicia Jacinto collected three gold medals at the 2011 Palembang edition.

She credited her three-month training in Hungary under Hungarian coach Dora Vass.

“Training at hard work lang po,” said Dela Pisa, admitting she was surprised of her podium finishes since it was her first SEA Games appearance.

Coming from a family of gymnasts that include mom Darlene and uncle Allen Castañeda, a national team coach for the men’s artistic gymnastics, Dela Pisa entered the sport when she was three years old.

She battled Stage II ovarian cancer when she was four, pursuing the sport with dreams of making into the national team.

Now, she is living out her dreams with a gold medal to boot – and she is just starting.

“Balik po ulit ako ng Hungary sa January. Tuluy-tuloy lang po ulit training,” she said.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Nick Giongco

The Philippines’ Jerwin Ancajas and Marlon Tapales look to share the local spotlight at the height of the Southeast Asian Games fever in the Philippines when they figure high-profile fights today on the world stage.

Ancajas defends the International Boxing Federation (IBF) super-flyweight crown against Chile’s Miguel Gonzalez in Puebla, Mexico.

Tapales, a former world champion, shoots for the interim IBF super-bantam title against Japan’s Ryosuke Iwasa at the Barclays Center n Brooklyn, New York.

During the official weighin, Ancajas and Gonzalez both made the weight.

Ancajas came in at 114.5 while Gonzalez tipped in at 114.8. the division limit is 115.

Over in New York, Tapales and Iwasa scaled in at 121.5, half a pound below the division max of 122.

Ancajas was supposed to make the eighth defense of the IBF 115lb plum last month in Carson, California, but his Mexican foe Jonathan Rodriguez failed to show up on US soil, forcing Top Rank to scrap the fight.

This will be Tapales’ third fight in America.

The officials for the Ancajas-Gonzalez fight are Wayne Hedgpeth of California as referee and the three judges are Joel Elizondo of Texas, Chris Wilson of Arizona and Zach Young, also of California.

For the Tapales-Iwasa duel, Shada Murdaugh is the referee while the the three judges are Frank Lombardi of Connecticut, Robin Taylor of New York and Steve Weisfeld of New Jersey.

Source: Manila Bulletin

Goldwyn Monteverde, the soft-spoken mentor of UAAP champion National University, yesterday downplayed the favorite’s tag labeled on his team, saying anybody can beat anybody in the8^th PSSBC Freego Cup which opens shop on Dec. 14 at the SGS gym Quezon City.

“This is a different arena and I’m sure everybody has its own motivation to beat us and go all theway to the championship,” said Monteverde, who is on his last term as the bullpups mentor after being designated to handle the men’s team of NU starting next season’s UAAP.

“Besides bilog ang bola at saka maraming malalakas na teams ngayon,” added the architect of the NU’s 10championships the past two years, including back-to-back ASEAN Championships.

During the league’s media launching at the Shatin Courtyard Restaurant in Quezon City, Monteverde picked NCAA champions Beda University, Lyceum and Ateneo as the teams who have what it takes to become champion in the annual tournament dubbed as “Battle of Champions”.

“Actually all teams are strong so I expect another exciting race for the title,” said PSSBC chairman Eduard Tio of Freego. “The best teams of NCAA and UAAP are here and so are the top three Fil-Chinese schools.”

Also entered in the event that also has the backing of Blackwater Sports, IronCon Builders, JumboPlastic Linoleum, Rain or Shine, Hapee Toothpaste, MEC Networks, and MacbethUnderwear are La Salle-Greenhills, La Consolacion, San Sebastian College,Chiang Kai Shek College, Hope Christian, Lyceum,  Far Eastern University, Adamson and Xavier.

San Beda, bannered by former NU star Rhayyan Amsali, Justine Sanchez, Winston Ynot and Yukien Andrada, is bidding for a third title after winning the event in 2014 and 2018.

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Erma Edera

The Philippine s bowling team — a mix of veteran and young athletes — holds an advantage especially in getting an elusive gold medal in the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, its national coach Biboy Rivera said.

This, after the PH keglers picked up two more medals — silver (men’s) and bronze (women’s) in the team event at the Coronado Lanes in Starmall, Mandaluyong City on Friday.

“It’s an advantage for us because we get the best of both worlds, we have the explosiveness, the hunger of the young ones and the experience of the veterans so parang they complement each other from what we saw in this team event, they supported each other out, they tried to keep the morale up of each other,” Rivera told the Manila Bulletin.

Rivera believes they could snatch a gold medal in the upcoming bowling events.

“We are still optimistic and from what we saw today, we have a good chance so we will just do our best and hopefully, until our best is good enough,” he said.

However, legendary bowler Paeng Nepomuceno expressed disappointment after the national team came close to capturing a gold medal in the team’s events.

“We were close to a gold medal for men’s and women’s, unfortunately, minalas lang ng konting konti. The men bowls superb on the last game kaya lang kulang pa ng konti so we only end up silver. The women’s sayang they went a little bit down on the last game from second naging third sila,” he said.

Alexis Sy, who settled for ninth place in the women’s all event said they had encountered a lot of struggles during the tournament.

“We had a lot of struggles especially nung transition, yung paglipat after a game, since nilalaro ng taga ibang bansa yung lanes na yun, sinisilip namin kung ano yung ginawa nilang strategy so we tried our best to score kung ano yung ginagawa nila,” she said.

Bong Coo, the 1979 women’s Bowling World Cup champion echoed Rivera saying that the national team still has a “fighting chance” to have at least two gold medals in the Masters event on Saturday.

“Tomorrow we will have a big chance because tomorrow young bowlers in the finals. I hope yung dalawang gold, reachable pa,” she said.

Bea Hernandez, who landed third in the women’s all event said that she would continue to lead the bid in the masters event.

“Everything will be the same, I will be bowling the same game plan and same mindset as well and I will do my best,” she said.

Merwin Tan and Patrick Nuqui, who qualified eight and 13th respectively in the men’s all events, will also advance to the masters event after slugging it out with the competition’s top 16 bowlers.

Lara Posadas Wong, who made the cut after placing 16th, said that she was happy because everybody in the team won a medal.

“It feels unreal kasi, everybody has a medal and we’re very happy,” Wong said.

 

Source: Manila Bulletin

By Kristel Satumbaga

 

Kickboxing debuts in the 30^th Southeast Asian Games on Saturday with the Philippine team hoping to make an impact at the Cuneta Astrodome.

Eight gold medals are at stake in the competition with the Filipinos banking on their extensive training local and abroad.

“Jittery yung mga players but we hope to hurdle the initial day,” said Samahan ng Kickboxing sa Pilipinas head Sen. Francis Tolentino.

“Yung first day talaga yung nakakatako, pero kung malusutan natin yon, tuluy-tuloy na.”

The team spent months training in Baguio and Tagaytay and had foreign exposure in Cambodia last month to level up their techniques.

The association even tapped the expertise of several boxing coaches from Team Pacquiao, two-time taekwondo Olympian Donald Geisler and mixed martial arts ace Mark Sangiao to help the squad.

Preliminary and quarterfinal matches are scheduled on Saturday, with the semifinals set on Sunday and Monday. Final matches will be on Tuesday.

Events on tap are kick light (men’s 69kg, women’s 55kg), full contact (men’s 51kg, men’s 57kg, women’s 48kg), and low kick (men’s 54kg, men’s 60kg, men’s 63.5kg).

Competing for the Nationals are Jomar Balangui, Renalyn Dacquel, Rex De Lara, Gina Iniong and Ruel Catalan.

 

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Source: Manila Bulletin