PH archers miss shot at third medal

PH bets Paul Marton Dela Cruz and Amaya Cojuangco during the semifinals of Mixed Team Compound archery in the 2017 Southeast Asian Games. INQUIRER/ MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

KUALA LUMPUR — The Philippines narrowly missed a medal in archery mixed compound after back-to-back jolting match-play defeats Friday at Synthetic Turf Field inside KL Sports City.

Paul Marton Dela Cruz and Amaya Paz-Cojuangco handily made it to the semifinals after a 156-150 win over Laos in the eliminations.

That heightened expectations of another medal from the sport that already brought two bronzes the previous days but the Filipino archers fell short this time.

“We didn’t make it. It’s not our day. They shot way better than us today,” said the 30-year-old Dela Cruz who bagged the individual bronze and shared another with men’s team.

Leading in the opening end, Dela Cruz and Cojuangco witnessed a steely-nerved Myanmar pair finishing them off in the suspense-filled shoot out. They finished the six ends tied at 154.

Stunned, the Philippines thus fell into bronze medal match-up facing Vietnam, which prevailed, 159-155.

Paz-Cojuangco, who was four-time champion here, could not contain her emotions after that heart breaking losses and had to excuse herself at the back of the field.

The Philippines still has golden chances in recurve which will begin on Aug. 21.