SEA Games: Swimmer Alkhaldi bags 4th PH gold

NAYPYITAW—Jasmine Alkhaldi ended the country’s swimming drought while gifting  the Philippines with its fourth gold medal on the first full day of action in the 27th Southeast Asian Games here Thursday.

The 20-year-old London Olympian, who is based in Hawaii, ruled the women’s 100-meter freestyle with a time of 56.65 seconds after a tremendous rally from third in the final 50 meters.

Two Singaporeans follower her home with Ting Hwen Quah taking the silver in 56.74 and Amanda Xiang Qi Lim salvaging the bronze in 57.21.

Matt Navata, the other Filipino swim bet for the day,  barely finished out of the medal by placing fourth in 4:30.75 in the men’s 400m individual medley  won by Zheng Weng Quah of Singapore in 4:23.45.

Before the swimming finals early in the evening, the Filipinos could only come up with five bronze medals—three from wrestling and two from women’s boxing—following semifinal losses by newcomers Maricris Igam and Irish Magno at Wunna Theikdi Stadium.

It took an impressive win by Josie Gabuco to avert a boxing shutout for the day and the men’s basketball team known as Sinag Pilipinas also lifted Filipino spirits  with an expected romp in men’s basketball over host Burma (Myanmar), 118-43, at Zayar Thiri Indoor Stadium.

Wrestlers Alvin Lobrequito (55 kg), Jhonny Morte (60 kg) and Joseph Angana (66 kg) settled for third place along with Igam and Magno, who bowed to their respective foes from Thailand.

Lobrequito, who earlier lost to Nguyen Huyha of Vietnam, beat Singaporean Gabriel Juang Junen by superiority in their bronze medal match.

Angana, younger sibling of Greco silver performer Margarito Angana, won over Vietnam’s Bui Tuan Anh and Morte, a newcomer just like Lobrequito, prevailed over Thai Jirawat Iamsamang on points at the National Indoor Stadium in Yangon.

Gabuco skillfully conquered Sonkra Chantavonsra of Laos, 40-36, 40-34, 40-34, to set up a light flyweight brawl for the gold with Indonesia’s Warni Halawa.

Igam lost to Supida Satumrum, 34-40, 37-39, 36-40, while Peamwilai Loapeam outpointed Magno, 37-39, 38-all, 37-39.

Ronald Pascual fired 18 points and Mac Belo added 17 as Sinag Pilipinas rolled to its third straight win.

A pall of gloom earlier descended on the PH delegation following news of the death of Iris Rañola’s father back home.

Rañola, the only double-gold performer (9-ball and 10-ball) in the 2011 meet, lost her father, Emilio, due to a lingering illness.  She’s scheduled to defend her titles along with reigning world 10-ball champion Rubilen Amit beginning Saturday.