Rookie canoe-kayak bets good for silver

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT–The Philippine team could only come home with a solitary silver and two bronzes but it was enough to surpass its 2003 Vietnam medal haul in the canoe and kayak competitions at the 23rd Southeast Asian Games at the Malawaan Fishing area here.

Rookies Jeremiah Tambor and John Oliver Victorio faded in the homestretch against the Indonesian dynamic duo of Asnawir and Romadi to wind up second in the 500-m men’s canoe double, good for silver medal honors. The pair of Aung Lin and Win Htike of Myanmar settled for the bronze.

The two homegrown paddlers, who both hail from Taytay, kept within striking distance of Asnawir and Romadi but lost steam, logging 1:49.50 behind their Indonesian counterparts who submitted a winning time of 1:48.16.

Norwell Cajes and Marvin Amposta carted away the bronze in their respective events, Cajes in the 500-m canoe single and Amposta in the 500-m kayak single.

Cajes, 20, thus emerged behind eventual gold winner Nguyen Due Canch of Vietnam and silver medalist Yuyu Fernando of Indonesia who checked in with times of 1:59.84 and 2:00.41, respectively.

Amposta edged out Nguyen Din Ha of Vietnam for the bronze behind Phone Myint Tayzar and Indonesia’s Sayadin.

Head coach Len Escalante said that while their medal haul was modest, it was enough to eclipse the lone bronze medal feat accomplished by Carmelito Dacasin in the canoe singles division in the 2003 Vietnam SEA Games.

April Mae Peñalosa went home empty-handed after she wound up fourth in the 500-m kayak women single ruled by Sarce Aronggaer of Indonesia. — Manny Galvez