Delarmino gains ABG muay gold medal shot

PHUKET, Thailand—Muay specialist Phillip Delarmino didn’t throw a single punch Saturday  in advancing to the gold-medal match of the 4th Asian Beach Games.

The 24-year-old Filipino scored a walkover win after Ahmed Salam Murad of Iraq refused to face him in their semifinal meeting.

“He probably saw me fight [earlier]. I could use some rest for the muscle pain to heal and prepare for the finals,” said Delarmino, silver medalist in the Burma (Myanmar) Southeast Asian Games last year.

Delarmino had earlier knocked out Sayed Aslamudin Amanullah of Afghanistan in the 54 kg quarterfinals with a roundhouse to the head in the second round of what was hailed as the most sensational fight of the meet.

The bantamweight from Dumangas, Iloilo, will seek the gold against Thai Parin Luangpon, who eliminated Korean Kim Sang-jae in the other semifinals.

“I have to avoid the clinch and score on kicks,” said Delarmino.

While Delarmino assured himself of a silver, middleweight Joel Zaspa, flyweight Manuel Delos Reyes and lightweight Alvin Berto dropped their three-round semifinal matches on points and settled for bronze medals.

Going into the final day, the Philippines was running 14th among 45 countries with three gold, one silver and seven bronze medals. It was the best output for the country since the Games organized by the Olympic Council of Asia began in Bali in 2008.

Thailand was on its way to bagging the overall title with a total output of 41 golds, 31 silvers and 32 bronzes.