Rower Cordova averts golden shutout anew

ERIC Panique struggles to the finish line to claim the bronze. RAFFY LERMA

NAYPYITAW—For the second straight Southeast Asian Games, rower Nestor Cordova came through just when it looked like Team Philippines was headed for another gold medal shutout Monday.

The 36-year-old Philippine Navy sergeant again ruled the men’s singles sculls at Ngalik Dam, keeping the country from plunging deeper in the overall race with six days remaining in the 27th SEA Games in this laidback city.

On a day when the Philippines continued to sputter on different fronts, the Bacolod City native sustained his mastery of the event by clocking seven minutes and 49.38 seconds to nip Ayung Ko Min of Burma (Myanmar) (7:49.68) and Indonesia’s Memo (8:03.61).

“I just gave it my all in the last part of the race,” said Cordova.

It was a stunning victory by Cordova, who trailed halfway through the 2,000-meter course, before pouring it on the rest of the way to capture his third gold since he first won the event in Thailand in 2007.

Already secured as early as Saturday, the victory in men’s basketball finally registered in the official Games’ medal standings, bringing the country’s haul to 12 gold, 19 silver and 24 bronze medals, good for seventh spot in the overall race.

Thailand sustained its charge, improving its tally to 59 gold, 45 silver and 49 bronze medals to hold sway as of 9 p.m. Monday.

Vietnam (43-36-43), Burma (39-38-41), Indonesia (38-51-50) and Malaysia (25-23-46) rounded out the Top 5.

Perlas Pilipinas, the women’s basketball team, whipped Burma, 80-31, to clinch the silver for the second consecutive SEA Games—a feat matched by Narcisa Atienza in heptathlon, the men’s doubles sculls of Benjamin Tolentino and Edgar Ilas and John Paul Gomez in international chess rapid event.

Rebounding resoundingly after absorbing a beating from champion Thailand, Perlas notched back-to-back victories in their last two outings and finished with a 3-1 record.

The three bronze medals came courtesy of marathoner Eric Panique, swimmer Matt Navata in the 200m freestyle and Earl Benjamin Yap in the men’s compound 50-m event of archery.

Atienza collected 5,241 points in the seven-event discipline over the past two days and finished second behind Wassana Winatho of Thailand, who scored 5,556 points.

It marked the third straight time that Atienza settled for the silver. She capped her effort with a 2:38.70 clocking in the 800m, good for third place.

A cramps-stricken Panique, a marathon silver medalist in Palembang two years ago, settled for third place, this time, by clocking 2:30.

Feeling pain in his legs, Panique slowed down in the last five kilometers of the 42.195 km race won by Singapore’s Ying Ren Mok (2:28:36). Thaung Aye of Burma finished second.

Yap also bagged bronze after prevailing over compatriot Delfin Adriano in the men’s compound 50m in a shootoff, after both PH bets finished with 143 points.

Billiards proved to be a flop as Dennis Orcollo lost in the 9-ball quarterfinals to an unheralded Thai, following Carlo Biado to the exit.

Over at Royal Myanmar Golf Course, the women’s squad powered by Princess Superal and Mia Legaspi surged ahead in the team event after firing identical even-par 72s in the opening round.

The men’s team remained in sixth spot with a 440 total over two rounds, 22 shots behind the leading Thais. Rupert Zaragosa and John Kier Abdon are tied for 14th spot with a 146 total.

In the chess event at Zabu Thiri Hotel, Gomez wound up second behind GM Susanto Megaranto of Indonesia.

Swimmer Jasmine Alkhaldi had the third-best time in the 50m free at 26.22 but only wound up fourth.