HANGZHOU – It’s a case of better late than never for Richard Gomez.
Team Philippines finally has its Chef De Mission in the 19th Asian Games as the actor-sportsman and public servant arrived for the quadrennial meet on Friday night.
See EJ Obiena gold lifts Team PH back to Top 20 in Asiad medal tally
Gomez was quick to move around upon checking in and watched Eumir Marcial’s Round-of-16 match against Nguyen Mahn Cuong of Vietnam who lost a 5-0 unanimous decision.
Goma, who came to the matches with Deputy Chef De Mission Alvin Aguilar, arrived nearly a week since the Asiad opening ceremony.
The representative of Leyte’s fourth district missed out marching with the entire Philippine delegation during the opener after he opted to stay behind in Manila to reportedly attend an important budget hearing in Congress.
Gomez though, still has to make an official statement on the reason behind his late arrival in the Games.
On Saturday, he was seen in the company of Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Bambol Tolentino during the 57 kg class bout between Carlo Paalam and Uulu Munarbek Seiitbek of Kyrgyzstan at the Hangzhou gymnasium.
Gomez then took time to watch Gilas Pilipinas play against Jordan at the Zijingang gymnasium despite the long distance between the venues for basketball and boxing, respectively.
Later in the night, he was at the Olympic Sports Centre Stadium to witness EJ Obiena bag the country’s first gold medal here by topping the men’s pole vault in record-breaking fashion.
The president of the Philippine Fencing Association head also happens to be the POC vice president.
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