HANGZHOU – Cycling produced a bronze finish in the BMX event of the 19th Asian Games, averting a medal-less Sunday for Team Philippines.
Patrick Coo reached the podium of BMX racing in Chun’an County as the 21-year-old cyclist somehow sustained the country's gains a day after EJ Obiena won its first gold in the meet with a record-breaking feat in men’s pole vault.
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Coo shrugged off a crash in the first moto of the 12-cyclist final that left him scrapping the upper part of his right thigh to finish third behind Komet Sukpraset of Thailand (silver) and Asuma Nakai of Japan (gold).
“I’m very happy, but hurting for sure,” said Coo, whose bronze finish assured cycling of a third straight medal in the Asiad since 2014 in Incheon, South Korea behind the lone gold of Danny Caluag and a bronze in 2018 in Palembang, also courtesy of Caluag.
Eumir Marcial is also assured of a bronze in the men’s 80 kg of boxing as he entered the semifinals following a second-round knockout of World Championship bronze medal winner and Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Weerapon Jongjoho of Thailand.
Despite the bronze of Coo, the Philippines fell a notch in the medal standings at 19th place on one gold, one silver, and seven bronze medals.
Korea regained second place from Japan after reaching 30 golds, 35 silvers and 60 bronzes with still a full week left of competitions.
The output of the Sokors however, are 100 less than host China’s tally of 131-72-39 as it continues to lord it over the 45-nation meet.
Japan (29-41-42), India (13-20-19) and Uzbekistan (11-12-17) remain in the Top 5 of the medal standings, while Thailand (10-6-14), Chinese Taipei (9-10-14), Hong Kong (6-15-19), North Korea (5-9-5), and Indonesia (4-3-11) occupy the sixth to 10th places.
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