Scribe now hot sports copy as champion jin

NAYPYITAW—After briefly writing about sports, Jade Zafra has become a hot sports copy herself at the 27th Southeast Asian Games here.

Zafra, a journalism graduate from the University of Santo Tomas, dominated Thai Worawong Pongpanit, 7-1, with clean shots to the head and body to seize the gold medal in the women’s 53-57 kg division of taekwondo Thursday.

“I just listened to my coaches. They told me not to get too close to attack the head,” said Zafra, who had a brief stint as a sportswriter three months ago with top sports website (Spin.ph).

The 5-foot-10 Zafra timed her kicks, hitting the Thai on the chest thrice and finishing the bout with a roundhouse to the head.

Christian Al dela Cruz, a commerce major at UST, didn’t have the same luck in the men’s 74-80 kg final, losing to Myanmar’s Win Htun Linn, who prevailed, 8-5.

The jins now have two golds after the initial victory of the trio of Dustin Jacob Mella, Vidal Marvin Gabriel and Raphael Mella in men’s poomsae.

Gabriel also snagged a silver in the poomsae singles while Janice Lagman, Rani Ortega and Rinna Babanta placed third in women’s team poomsae.

Zafra escaped with a sudden-death 3-0 win over Vietnam’s Thi Ha Thanh Lam in the semifinals. The match was tied at 9, forging the extension where Zafra put away the Viet with a quick kick to the face.

Dela Cruz had an easier time in the semifinals as he whipped Sawatvilay Phimmasone of Laos, 8-0.

Gershon Bautista (men’s under 68kg) settled for a bronze following a 4-6 loss to Phouthasone Thammavong of Laos.