SEA Games: Filipino sailors finally cruise to gold

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—Sailors Emerson Villena and Lester Troy Tayong reigned supreme on the waters that have become their personal playground here in the 30th Southeast Asian Games.

Villena and Tayong ruled the men’s international 470 for the country’s first gold medal in sailing that somehow broke the dominance of Thailand.

The Filipinos tied Thailand’s Navee Thamsoontorn and Nut Butmarasri with 21 points but won four out of 10 races compared to the three victories of the Thais.

Malaysia’s Mohamad Faizal Norizan and Ahmad Syukri Abdul Aziz got the bronze with 27 points.

Tayong and Villena finally secured their first gold in the Games after settling for the silver in 2015 Singapore and bronze in 2017 Kuala Lumpur.

Thailand carted away five of the seven gold medals with Chonakchon Wangsuk and Piyaporn Khemkaew topping the women’s international 470 and Kamolwan Chanym ruling the laser radial and Noppassorn Khunbo