SEA Games: Coveta leads PH triumph on the seas

Philippine keelboat match racing team. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—Windsurfers Yancy Kaibigan and Geylord Coveta ruled their respective races Monday while Filipino sailors topped the keelboat event at the expense of Singapore in the 30th Southeast Asian Games.

Coveta, a two-time world champion, claimed the gold medal in the men’s RS:One race while Kaibigan, who pocketed the silver medal twice in the world stage, proved superior in the RS:X race held at Lighthouse Marina Resort here.

Not to be outdone, the six-man Philippine crew led by skipper Joel Mejarito and veterans Ridgely Balladares and Richly Magsanay likewise struck the gold in the keelboat match racing in FE28R.

Joining Mejarito were Rubin Cruz Jr., Whok Dimapilis and Edgar Villapana, whose collective efforts defeated the highly favored sailors of Singapore, 2-0, in the finale.

The 38-year-old Coveta, the world champion in his pet event in 2012 and 2017, scored seven points to defeat Navin Singsart of Thailand (11 points) and Indonesia’s Ridwan Ramadan (12 pts.) after 12 races.

Kaibigan, 38, won most of the races and registered the lowest score of five points to beat Natthaphong Phonoppharat of Thailand (8 pts.) and Malaysia’s Hadi Kame Ahmad Danish Abdul, who compiled 11 points.

In the women’s RS:X under-19, Charizzane Jewel Napa settled for the silver medal behind Cholchaya Junthonglang of Thailand (6 pts.) while Indonesia’s Nenni Marlini got the bronze with 12 points.

The Filipino sailors collected two gold medals, a silver and bronze in sailing while grabbing a total of two golds and one silver in windsurfing.

Emerson Villena and Lester Troy Tayong earlier reigned supreme in the men’s international 470 race.