Slow start for Team PH

Credit to Author: TEMPO Online| Date: Thu, 05 Dec 2019 10:11:18 +0000

By Nick Giongco

CLARKFIELD, Pampanga — There was just one gold, three silver and two bronze medals that rolled out of host Philippines’ factory by mid-afternoon of Thursday in the 30th Southeast Asian Games.

Jermyn Prado

The lone gold was produced by Jermyn Prado in the women’s individual time trial in Tagaytay where she ruled the 23.1-kilometer event in 44 minutes and 33.742 seconds, giving the Philippines its 57th gold medal aside from 43 silver and 24 bronze medals as of 4 p.m.

Vietnam remained entrenched at second with a tally of 28-33-36 while Indonesia is at third with a collection of 23-30-31.

It was cycling’s third gold medal following the twin triumph of John Farr and Lea Belgira in mountainbike downhill a few days ago in Laurel, Batangas.

Pardo beat Singaporean Yiwei Luo, who clocked 44:48.518 for second and Thai Phetdarin Somrat, who did 44:58.518 for third.

The silver medals were handed over by Nestor Dinopil in shooting (Mixed Benchrest Air Rifle Heavy Varmint), the duo of Alfau Jan and Almohaidib in seni ganda doubles of pencak silat and Samuel German in modern pentathlon and the bronzes by the mixed duathlon squad composed of Monica Torres, Effraim Inigo, Mary Pauline Fornea and Emmanuel Comendador and Dines Dumaan of pencak silat.

The Philippines started strong in the biennial sportsfest as dancesport and arnis beefed up its early harvest with a combined 24 after just two days of action.

But the tide will start favoring the other nations as medal-rich athletics and swimming start giving away medals.

Swimming, which got going on Wednesday, dangles 40 while athletics is good for 45.

Athletics, meanwhile, will kick off Friday with gold medals at stake in men and women’s marathon.

Defending champion Mary Joy Tabal, who clocked two hours 48 minutes and 26 seconds in Kuala Lumpur, is back to defend her crown after spending three months training in Yokohama.

Tabal’s best time is 2:43.31 and is uncertain if she can match it given that the venue will be the roads of the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.

Jerald Zabala will be the country’s entry in the men’s division.

Following James Deiparine’s breakthrough victory in the 50-meter breaststroke on Wednesday night at the Aquatics Center, another batch of swimmers take a crack at the gold Thursday with veteran Jasmine Alkhaldi and Chloe Isleta trying their luck in the 50-M back after surviving the heats.

Also eyeing medals are Fil-Kiwi Luke Gebby, who performs alongside Singaporean Olympic champion Joseph Schooling in the 50-M butter after placing second in the heats with a clocking of 24.59 seconds. Schooling, who got his first gold in the 4×200-M free, paced the heats with an easy-breezy 24.23.

Another foreign recruit with Filipino lineage, Thomas Peregrina also made the grade in the 200 IM.

Deiparine’s gold medal overshadowed the silver of Remedy Rule and Alkhaldi’s silver and bronze, respectively, in the 200-M butter and 100-M free.

Boxing likewise made its move in Manila wi
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