Down-to-the-wire for RP, Vietnam

KUALA LUMPUR (Via Globe Telecoms) — The Philippines must win in at least five final events in the last two days where only 62 of the 391 events will be played to beat Vietnam in the battle for fourth place in the 21st Southeast Asian Games.

As of yesterday afternoon, Vietnam was ahead of the Philippines with a gold-silver-bronze medal tally of 26-27-26. The Philippines had 24-52-64 counting the all-Filipino final in 9-ball finals in billiards between former world champion Efren "Bata" Reyes and Warren Kiamco and a potential gold in men’s basketball. Also ongoing at presstime were 15 events in the athletics competitions where the Philippines and Vietnam were gunning for two golds each.

The Philippines’ gold medal chances were in heptathlon, men’s 800 meters and men’s 4 x 400m relay while Vietnam was favored to win the women’s javelin throw and women’s 1,500m run.

The Philippines will be pinning its hopes on Allan Ballester and Roy Vence in the men’s marathon today and on Cristabel Martes on the women’s side. It is counting on at least one gold in two finals in boxing and golf.

Climbing the ring in today’s finals are bantamweight Arlan Lerio and featherweight Larry Semillano, both against two tough Thais. The men’s and women’s teams were still playing their semifinal matches under the matchplay format against Malaysia and Thailand, respectively.

Other events the Philippines is still in contention for the gold are cycling, judo, volleyball and pencak silat.

The Vietnamese will be gunning for the gold in the cross country and individual time trial in cycling, the men’s singles in table tennis, and in six final events in pencak silat where they have the strongest chance.

The Philippines and Vietnam were contesting the finals slot in women’s volleyball late yesterday.