Women boxers, softball deliver

The Phillippines Mens Softball team celebrates after winning over Indonesia, 7-3, to win the gold. ROMY HOMILLADA

PALEMBANG, Indonesia—A two-gold haul from the women boxers and another golden double from softball put some sparkle on Team Philippines’ gloomy campaign Saturday in the 26th Southeast Asian Games here.

Pinweight Josie Gabuco flaunted her speed and experience to trounce Vietnam’s Trinh Thi Diem Kieu, 18-5, and retain her crown while light flyweight Alice Kate Aparri was even more dominant in dumping Myanmar’s Thet Htar San, 20-4, to keep her title.

The Blu Girls cruised past the hapless Thais, 6-0, in the morning final while the Blu Boys rallied to claim the title at the expense of the pesky Indonesians, 7-3, at the Jakabaring Sport Complex.

Bantamweight prospect Nesthy Petecio, however, bowed to Thai Peamwliai, 16-10, and settled for the silver medal.

Asian Games champion Rey Saludar and Charly Suarez are still seeking finals slots in the men’s division at presstime. Saludar is battling Indonesian Julio Bria in the 52 kg division while Suarez is tackling Thai Saylom Ardee in the 60 kg class at the Indoor Basket Hall.

The Filipino clouters thus kept their supremacy in the event they also ruled back home in the 2005 SEAG and also in the 2007 Nakhon Ratchasima edition. Softball wasn’t included in the 2009 SEAG in Vientiane, Laos.

Trailing, 3-1, the Blu Boys surged ahead at 6-3 at the bottom of the sixth inning then sealed the win that avenged their 4-2 loss to the Indonesians in the softball inaugurals.

Despite the four-gold harvest, the Philippines stayed mired at sixth place and appeared headed for their worst finish ever in the biennial meet being lorded over by the Indonesians, who are assured of the overall championship with a hoard of 133 golds, 106 silvers and 93 bronzes as of 8 p.m. (9 in Manila). The Filipinos wound up sixth in the 2007 Games with 41 golds.

Hobbled by a no-gold stint Friday, Team Philippines could only show 23 golds, 40 silvers and 67 silvers as the fifth-running Singaporeans pulled away with a 39-41-70 tally.

Reigning overall titlist Thailand (81-76-90) wrested second from Vietnam (77-72-76).

Bowlers Frederick Ong and Biboy Rivera gave Team Philippines some hope as they wound up 1-2 after the first block of the men’s masters at the Jaya Bowling Center in Jakarta.

Ong, already the men’s singles champion, tallied an eight-game series of 1799, highlighted by a pair of 255, for an average of 222.40 while Rivera, the reigning Asian Games champion, pooled 1746 for a 218.30 average. They were trailed by two Malaysians and compatriot R. Miranda, who ranked fifth with a 210.50 average.

Over in West Java, April Epingger took the silver in the women’s 500m individual time trial with a clocking of 38.134 seconds and an average speed of 47.2 kph at the Velodrome Rawamangun. Malaysian Mustapa Fatehah won in 36.84 seconds.

Judoka John Baylon’s 22-year reign finally ended in Jakarta, forcing him to announce his retirement.

The 47-yearold Baylon bowed to Vietnamese To Hai Long, 24, in the semifinals of the under-81 kg category. To compound his misery, Baylon also lost to Malaysian Marjan Abdullah in their battle for the bronze.

Another Filipino, Gilbert Ramirez, settled for the bronze in the under-73kg division.
There were, of course, some bright developments.

The Filipino cagers’ title-retention bid got easier when the Thais stunned the Indonesians, 65-62, in their semifinal duel Saturday at the BritAma Arena in Jakarta.

Head coach Norman Black said the Thais’ victory took away the hometown factor, but still cautioned his wards not to be complacent.

Flaunting balanced scoring and a strong defense, the Filipinos routed the Thais, 103-69, in the eliminations.

After throwing away the gold on Friday, the Philippine cagebelles settled for the silver following a 73-68 victory over the Indonesians.

On Sunday, the Philippines and Indonesia will dispute the baseball crown.

The Filipinos lost a bronze in the 1,000m 10-man crew race after they were disqualified by the event’s chief official for fielding two alternates from the 23-man team submitted prior to the SEA Games. Myanmar and Indonesia landed 1-2, respectively.

Canoe/Kayak Federation secretary general Jonne Go paid $250 to file a protest. She reasoned out that the pool is their source for both the 20-man and 10-man crew for various events where the Philippines is entered unlike other other nations which have two separate crews.

Former world champion Francisco “Django” Bustamante yielded to Indonesian Ricky Yang, 9-3, and settled for the bronze medal in the men’s 9-ball singles. Yang, who lost to world No. 1 Dennis Orcollo in the 8-ball final, will clash with compatriot Irsal Nasution for the title.

Archers Jennifer Chan and Earl Yap, hounded by deductions absorbed for rules infraction, lost the bronze losing to an Indonesian tandem.