THE Philippines pocketed two bronze medals on another slow day at the 20th Asian Games that was marred by controversy on Sunday just as tennis superstar Alex Eala prepares to take centerstage in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
John Cabang Tolentino gave the athletics team its first medal by finishing third in the men’s 110-meter hurdles while the celebrated SIBOL esports squad captured its first bronze of the Nagoya Games in the Pokemon UNITE.
READ PNVF sorry for Alas fund mess, reveals inheriting 'financial liabilies'
The two bronzes improved to two gold, two silver, and eight bronze medals the haul of a 466-strong Philippine contingent that was buffeted by controversy over a funds mess that hounded the men's and women's volleyball teams.
More medals will come on Monday for SIBOL, which is assured of at least a bronze after beating South Korea in the Honor of Kings in their quarterfinal duel. They will face China in the semifinals on Monday.
The women’s double team in sepak takraw of Nelly Jay Salon, Jean Marie Sucalit, and Abegail Sinogbuhan has also assured itself of a medal after reaching the semifinals with two wins in the group stage on Sunday.
On Monday, most of the attention of the Philippine campaign shifts to Eala, who begins her Asiad campaign in the women’s singles in a second-round match against Thailand’s Patcharin Cheapchandej.
As the No. 1-ranked player in the competition, the world No. 18 drew a first-round bye, and used Sunday to practice and get acclimated with the courts. Her match begins sometime before 11 a.m. local time (10 a.m. Philippine time) at the Nagoya City Higashiyama Park Tennis Center.
Eala arrived in Japan on Saturday after her early exit from the Singapore Open. She begins her gold-medal bid in the Asiad after deciding to join the Philippine delegation instead of the China Open, a mandatory WTA 1000 event.
Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam will look to clinch a medal on Monday in their quarterfinal bout against Chinese foes.
Petecio faces Chengyu Yang in the women’s 60kg division, and Paalam tangles with Jiamao Zhang in the men’s 55kg as part of the evening session on Monday beginning at 5 p.m. local time (4 p.m.) Philippine time at the Nishio Gymnasium.
China has now collected 119 gold medals to remain in first place in the medal standings followed by Japan (37), South Korea (20), Uzbekistan (10), Kazakhstan (9), Thailand (9) Bahrain (8), Iran (7), North Korea (6), and Malaysia (6).
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
