Rower Funelas, archers Tabaniag, Chipeco shine

DANY Funelas captured his third rowing gold even as seasoned archer Joan Tabaniag and Ian Chipeco pulled off two victories yesterday in the POC-PSC Philippine National Games at various venues.

Kim Mangrobang dominated women’s triathlon as expected but John Chicano ended Nikko Huelgas’ two-year reign as men’s champion in the swim-bike-run event.

Funelas, a national team member since 2005, bagged his third gold  by clocking 51.57 seconds in his favorite men’s 200-meter canoe event  at Manila Bay. He earlier won golds in men’s kayak 5,000m and as a member of the Taytay Boys, who won the dragonboat small boat 5,000m.

Tabaniag, a multiple medalist in the Southeast Asian Games, subdued fellow veteran and sister Jennifer Chan, 140-138, in the Olympic round finals of women’s compound after her  victory in the double 50 event over Amaya Paz-Cojuangco.

His skills polished in the developmental pool, Chipeco outpointed national teammate Jeff Adriano, 142-138, in the finale of the men’s event.  Chipeco, who represented the country in the recent Asian Archery Grand Prix in Bangkok, also ruled the double 50 compound over Benjamin Yap and Adriano.

Rachel Dela Cruz topped the Olympic round women’s recurve while national pool member Theodore Cabral seized the gold in the men’s division of the same event held at the UP field.

Mangrobang cashed in on her swimming skills to finish the race in 1 hour 13 minutes 34 seconds, beating  Mirasol Abad (1:14:42) and Bic Ferreria (1:28:23).

A 22-year-old national team mainstay, Mangrobang rose from the pool ahead by almost four minutes, a cushion that Abad failed to overcome despite a strong showing in the bike and run legs.

Fresh from his training in Australia, Chicano clocked one hour and 56 seconds to clinch the gold over Jonard Saim (1:02:34) and Huelgas (1:03:15).

Huelgas, more focused on earning his management degree at La Salle this year than competing for the national team, suffered a chain malfunction in the 20-kilometer bike segment, which proved decisive after he emerged from the pool with a hefty lead.

Huelgas timed 10:26 in the 1.5-km swim to Chicano’s 11:18 and Saim’s 11:22. The 22-year-old Chicano then took advantage of Huelgas’ bike problem to pull away and sustained the pace until the 10K run.

Junior triathletes Pauline Fornea and Jimuel Patilan also won with Fornea finishing 10 minutes clear  with a time of 1:17:12 over Kate Lagman. Patilan banked on a splendid performance in the swim leg to down Allen Santiago.

Meanwhile, top seed Johnny Arcilla and second pick Elbert Anasta led the march to the Round of 16 in men’s singles with impressive triumphs. Marc Reyes, Patrick John Tierro, Albert Lim Jr., and Rolando Ruel also advanced at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

Arcilla drubbed Roderick Lazaro, 6-2, 6-0, and will face the 14-year-old Lim, who cruised past Leo Laping, 6-0, 6-0. Anasta trounced Vince Salas, 6-2, 6-2.

Reyes, seeded fifth, crushed Jessie Daniel Villarin, 6-0, 6-1; and Tierro routed Radha Reyes, 6-1, 6-2, to set up a duel against Art Dolorito.