Brin hurdles first outing but Tizon falls

TAEJON CITY, South Korea -- One picture-perfect victory, one bitter loss. That summarized Team Caltex Philippines'initial foray in the Seoul Cup as action in this second Asian Olympic qualifying tournament reached fever pitch in stark contrast to the icy cold weather here on Thursday.

Romeo Brin, the 26-year-old Armyman from Puerto Princesa who has braved more freezing weather abroad than the chilled air that even made its way inside the huge Chung Mu Stadium in the heart of this city south of Seoul, stopped Pakistani Syed Asghar Aleshah in the second round of their lightwelterweight bout to move within two wins of securing a ticket to the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

The joy, however, was shortlived for the Philippine delegation as welterweight Junie Tizon lost a match he could have easily won against the tall but powerless counter-puncher Bashirov Aliasker of Turkmenistan.

Sayang pero hindi bale, one out of two, hindi na masama. Ganyan lang talaga pero mas mabuting isipin kung panalo para huwag bumaba ang morale ng mga bata, said Mike Lopez, team manager of the five-man squad outfitted by Adidas and backed by Caltex Phils., Pacific Heights and the Philippine Sports Commission.

Brin, one of the country's reliables during important international campaigns the most recent the Brunei Southeast Asian Games where he won a gold, used his vast ring experience and stinging punches to force the Pakistani to a standing eight count in the first, again in the second which did not reach its full two-minute limit when a succession of solid rights to the face left his rival stunned and immobile on his feet.

That last barrage proved to be enough for the third man on the ring to declare it an RSCO (referee stopped contest-outclassed). Matibay din, hindi pa bumagsak sa huling banat ko. Sayang, napigilan ng referee, said Brin.