By ADRIAN STEWART CO
Negrense Ian Clark Bautista emerged as the lone winner among four Western Visayas (WV)-based boxers that competed for the gold medal in the 32nd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games at the Chong Charvay Convention Center in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Saturday, May 13.
The Negros Occidental’s Binalbagan-native Bautista retained his featherweight category gold medal following a one-sided unanimous decision victory over Indonesian fighter Asri Udin.
The 28-year-old Bautista was dominant with his solid combinations in the first two rounds before keeping a safe distance from Udin in the early goings of the third round until he solidified his win with a standing eight-count on the Indonesian foe late in the match.
Rogen Ladon, who is from Negros Occidental’s Bago City, failed to defend his SEA Games gold medal in the flyweight division following a unanimous decision loss to Thai boxer Thanarat Saengphet.
Iloilo City-native Irish Magno and Bacolod City-native Risa Pasuit also ended with silvers after losing to Thai fighter Jutamas Jitpong and Vietnam’s Thi Linh Ha, respectively, in the women’s boxing finals.
Negrense swimmer Alexi Cabayaran settled for a silver medal finish in the women’s 200-meter Bi Fins, while Bacolodnon Johann Chua and Carlo Biado earned a bronze in the men’s nine-ball pool doubles.
Negrense Bernalyn Bejoy also captured a silver medal for Team Philippines in the women’s 4×400-m relay event along with Jessel Lumapas, Robyn Brown and Maureen Schrijvers.
The men’s quartet of Frederick Ramirez, Joyme Sequita, Michael Carlo del Prado, and Umajesty Williams finished with gold in the men’s 4×400-m relay, while Gennah Malapit and Evalyn Palabrica had a silver-bronze finish in the women’s javelin throw.
The pair of Ruben Gonzales and Francis Alcantara also delivered the gold medal for Team Philippines in the men’s tennis doubles finals after a come-from-behind win over Indonesia, 2-6, 7-5 and 10-5.
Team Philippines clinched several golds in taekwondo courtesy of Kirstie Elaine Alora, Samuel Morrison, Arven Alcantara, and Kurt Barbora in kyorugi, Patrick Perez in single poomsae; and Aidaine Laxa, Jocel Ninobla and Nicole Labayne women’s poomsae team.
Perez, Ian Matthew Corton and Joaquin Tuazon won a bronze in the men’s recognized poomsae team, Ninobla and Corton in the mixed team poomsae, while Darius Venerable, Jeordan Dominguez, Justine Macario, Juvenile Crisostomo, and Zyka Santiago bagged bronze in mixed freestyle team.
Team Philippines also got three silver medals in weightlifting from John Ceniza (men’s 61-kilogram), Lovely Inan (women’s 49kg) and Angeline Colonia (women’s 45kg), and from wushu courtesy of Gideon Padua.
In fencing, Sam Catantan and Sammuel Tranquilan captured silver medals each, while Ivy Claire Dinoy ended with bronze, while gymnast Charmaine Dolar, and cyclist Ronald Oranza bagged a bronze medal each./ASC, WDJ