Ramirez gains 2 golds in dispute-marred gymnastics events

Sturdy Roel Ramirez boosted the Philippines campaign ’s in the 23rd Southeast Asian Games gymnastics competition with two golds, - one heavily disputed -- and one silver at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum yesterday.

Ramirez dominated the vault with a 9.2 score but later took one of three golds awarded in the floor exercise with Shu Wai Ng of Malaysia and M. Aldilla Akbar of Indonesia in an unprecedented ruling in the event.

The three winners were given identical 8.450 scores amid disagreements and disputes among judges due to what sources said difficulty in scoring in the floor exercise.

In fact, two gymnasts also emerged winners -- Thitipong Sukdee of Thailand and Nguyen Minh Tuan of Vietnam -- with identical card of 9.225 in the men’s rings event where top Filipino gymnast Neil Faustino (7.275) could only land fifth.

" It’s unprecedented in the Games but posssible," said national gymnastics coach Santiago Ty adding similar incident happened in the World championship.

Ramirez’s rivals in the vault -Shu Wai Ng of Malaysia and M. Aldilla Akbar of Indonesia were also give a silver each with 9.0750s. Ramirez also took the silver in the horizontal bar with 8.825 while Malaysian Shu Wai Ng had 9.200 for the gold, and Wei Siang Ooi 8.600 for the bronze.

Ramirez later said he dished out his best to gain the judges nod. "I did my best so they could not say anything against me. If I did well then they would give me high score."

Another local bet, Bonnie Brydon Sy, (8.625) settled for the bronze in the parallel bars which Vietnamese Pham Phuoc Hung (9.050) and Nguyen Ha Thanh (8.850) dominated.

Meanwhile, Kristine Raissa Saguisag, daughter of former Senator Rene Saguisag, contributed another bronze medal for a total of two golds, one silver, and two bronzes for the Philippines in gymnastics.

The elder Saguisag, who said it was only his second time to watch his daughter in a competition, was obviously happy with Raissa’s 8.650 performance which closely rivaled the 8.675 of silver medalist Dewi Prehara and Adelina Riri Wulandari (8.750), both of Indonesia, in the vault event.

"(In the past), she preferred I wouldn’t watch her perform. But this time I was surprised she insisted that I, the siblings, and the barangay go and watch her ," Saguisag said.

Malaysia’s Abdul Hamid Nurul Fatiha topped the uneven bars (8.1370) and took the silver in floor exercise (8.200). Singapore’s Nicole Tay Xi Hui dominated the floor exercise (8.212) and placed second in the uneven bars (7.9370).

Singapore’s Tabitha Tay Jia Hui won the silver in the balance beam (7.962).

On the other hand, Vietnam’s Do Thi Ngan Thuon landed a gold medal in the balance beam (8.212) while compatriot Phan Thi Ha Thanh (7.675) got a bronze medal. Phan Thi Ha Thanh also placed third in the floor exercise (8.000) while Nguyen Thuy Duong received the bronze in the uneven bars (7.8870).

The team competition in the rhythmic gymnastics will begin today at 3 p.m., with Philippines’ No. 1 Danica Calapatan, Sherryl Contillo, Carla Dionisio, and Ma. Corazon Canlas, attempting to add another gold medal to the Philippines’ medal chest. — Reagan Tan