Sabah dominates BIMP-Eaga Games

GENERAL SANTOS CITY—High jumper Marjorie Fernandez of Puerto Princesa City claimed the last gold medal for the Philippines even as Sabah nailed a record fourth consecutive overall championship in the 7th BIMP-Eaga Friendship Games here.

The Inagawan National High School senior topped her favorite event with a jump of 1.46 meters at the end of track and field competitions yesterday at Acharon track oval here.

It was the third gold for Puerto Princesa City in athletics after middle-distance runner Jila Dela Rosa ruled the women’s 1,500 meters and Malou Gepolani topped women’s javelin.

Sabah again dominated the four-day competition featuring budding athletes from Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines after compiling 32 gold medals on top of 17 silvers and 26 bronzes.

A large state on the northern tip of Malaysia where the famed Kota Kinabalu is located, Sabah capped a splendid performance with five gold medals in badminton.

Unbeaten in four games, Neo Winson clinched the men’s individual crown by routing Puerto Princesa’s Rey Gilongos, 21-11, 21-10, while Florah Ng subdued Jiselle Joy Capillo, 21-7, 21-7, in the women’s finals.

Aside from badminton, Sabah also drew strength from swimming (13 golds) and track and field (10).

Sarawak, Malaysia’s largest province, also banked on swimming and athletics to finish second overall with a gold-silver-bronze collection of 18-16-18.