Pinay archer cops Asian GPrix gold

BANGKOK — A young archer who has been competing for only seven months — Janina Bianco Ortiz — did the country proud yesterday by bagging the gold medal in the 70-meter women’s individual compound event in the first leg of the Asian Grand Prix here.

The 20-year-old, 5-foot-3 Ortiz, who made her debut in local competitions only last July, carded 625 points on rounds of 319 and 266 to beat Singapore’s Tan Bee Wah (618) and Leong Yoka Sim (591).

Another compound bet, PSA awardee Raul Ramon Arambulo, took the silver medal in the men’s division while Sydney Olympic Games veteran Jennifer Chan pocketed the bronze in the women’s 70-meter recurve event.

Arambulo scored 659 (325-334) and actually finished in a tie with Singapore’s Eugene Kwong Kok Song, but he lost via the tiebreak. Another Singaporean, Vision Heng Fook Hup got the bronze with 654.

Chan tallied 627 to finish behind Malaysia’s Mon Rider Sui Ni and Japan’s Kawasaki Yukasi, who scored identical 636 points.

Asian Gamers Marvin Cordero, Christian Cubilla and Arnold Rojas posted 633, 598 and 598 to rank ninth, 23rd and 24th, respectively, in the men’s recurve event.

Another Asian Gamer, Rachelle Anne Cabral, finished seventh in the women’s recurve competition with 609, while Jed Santiago Roa (594) and Bernard Yap (557) placed 17th and 19th in the men’s compound division.

The Filipino archers scored 1829 points to rank fifth in the team recurve event and 1910 points to finish fourth in the team compound competition.

Archers from Kazakhstan, Myanmar, Bhutan, Vietnam, Thailand, Hong Kong, Qatar, Laos, Australia and China also saw action, according to Philippine archery association secretary-treasurer Ligaya Manalang.