PH’s Youth Olympic Games campaign ends with 1 silver as golfers, archer bow out

Nicole Marie Tagle PHI competes alongside Hendrik Oun EST in the Archery Mixed International Team 1/8 Elimination Round at the Archery Range, Tecnopolis Park. The Youth Olympic Games, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Sunday 14th October 2018. Photo: Joe Toth for OIS/IOC. Handout image supplied by OIS/IOC

BUENOS AIRES—Golfers Yuka Saso and Carl Janno Corpus capped the Philippine campaign out of the medal podium together with archer Nicole Marie Tagle on Monday in the 2018 Youth Olympic Games.

Saso and Corpus fired a combined eight-over 148 on the third and final round to miss out a medal in the mixed team event while Tagle, sizzling in the first two sets, suddenly went cold the rest of the way for an early exit in the round of 16 in women’s recurve individual.

Alyssia Tromans-Ansell of Great Brittain rallied from two points down on a windy afternoon after the third set to eliminate the Dumaguete City-based Tagle, 6-4, and progress to the quarterfinals at the Parque Sarmiento archery range.

Over at the Hurlingham Club, the tandem of Saso and Corpus had a good first round at 4-under, but went 5-over in the second round to trail leaders Atthaya Thitikul and Vanchai Luangnitikul of Thailand and the United States duo of Lucy Li and Akshay Bhatia by a wide margin and never recovered from there.

Silver Medalist Toni Vodisek SLO, Gold Medalist Deury Corniel DOM and Silver Medalist Christian Tio PHI (left to right) pose for a photograph during the victory ceremony for the Sailing Men’s Kiteboarding IKA Twin Tip Racing event at Club Náutico San Isidro. The Youth Olympic Games, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Sunday 14th October 2018. Photo: Gabriel Heusi for OIS/IOC. Handout image supplied by OIS/IOC

Despite these misses, the silver medal of Filipino-Norwegian Christian in men’s kiteboarding early Sunday proved to be the saving grace for the entire PH contingent of seven athletes from six sports.

It was the second silver medal of Tio, who is based in Boracay Island, on the global stage after securing a runner-up finish in the under-16 junior world championships in 2015.

“For me, this is a huge success for Team Philippines,’’ said Philippine chef de mission Jonne Go.

Under her watch as the country’s CDM back in the 2014 edition of the Games in Nanjing, China, archer Gab Moreno ruled the mixed international event with China’s Li Jiaman, the first gold medal of the Philippines in the Youth Olympics.

Yuka Saso of the Philippines reacts while competing in the Golf Individual Stroke Play Finals during the Youth Olympic Games, Buenos Aires, Argentina Thursday 11th October 2018. Photo: Abbie Parr for OIS/IOC. Handout image supplied by OIS/IOC

Saso, the reigning Asian Games champion, nearly pocketed a medal after topping the competition on the final round only to lose in a three-way playoff that determined the silver and bronze medalists in women’s individual stroke play.

“We came close to winning two medals here. I was really banking on Yuka and Christian. Yuka has the experience and had gone through several high-level tournaments, but you can’t have it all,’’ said Go, also the auditor of the Philippine Olympic Committee and president of the Philippine Canoe Kayak Dragonboat Federation.

Out of 206 countries, the Philippines placed joint 69th overall with Chinese Taipei, Algeria, Hong Kong, Ireland, Saint Lucia and United Arab Emirates.

With two more competition days remaining prior to the Oct. 18 closing ceremony at the Olympic Park here, Russia is way ahead in the medal standings with 24 gold, 15 silver and 9 bronze medals. China is running second overall with a 16-7-9 tally followed by Japan (13-7-12) and Hungary (12-6-4).