Philippine kickboxer in semis, diver misses podium in Hanoi

MANILA, Philippines — Kickboxer Jean Claude Saclag overpowered Latxasak Souliyavong, 3-0, in the lowkick 63.5-kilogram event last night to guarantee himself of a medal in the Hanoi Southeast Asian Games.

Saclag’s victory prevented an opening-day shutout for the kickboxers while enhancing his chances of duplicating his golden feat in the 2019 edition in Pasay City.  He will see action in the semis on Wednesday.

The beach handball team also delivered a win for Team Philippines after two other kickboxers and the lone diving entry fell short of a podium finish.

The Filipinos smashed the Singaporeans, 2-0, to improve to a 2-1 (win-loss) record and keep their medal chances in beach handball alive in Tuan Chau, Quang Ninh.

The Filipinos, who turned back the Thais, 2-0, last Friday but fell to the Vietnamese, 0-2, the next day, trail the Vietnamese, who swept the first round in three matches, in the standings. But they could  still catch up with the 2019 gold medalists if the former would beat the latter in their rematch in the second round tomorrow.

If it happens, it would bolster the Filipinos’ chances of improving on their bronze medal finish in 2019 and boost their chances of snatching the mint from the fancied Vietnamese.

The kickboxers, out to eclipse their three-gold, two-silver, one-bronze haul in the last edition, actually opened their campaign on a sad note after 2019 silver medal winner Jomar Balangui fell to unheralded Cambodian Rachnan Toch, 2-1, in the men’s 57-kilogram full contact event to dash the former’s medal hopes at the Bac Ninh Gymnasium.

Carlos Alvarez also succumbed to Vietnam’s Huong Nguyen The, 3-0, in the 67kg full contact to likewise kiss his medal chances goodbye.

In diving, over at the My Dinh Aquatics Center, Fil-Am Ariana Drake missed out in delivering the country’s first medal in the Games as she wound up fourth in the women’s 1-meter springboard.

The 17-year-old Drake drew a score of 207.15 and fell short of a podium finish.

Malaysian Nur Dhabitah Bte Sabri won the Games’ first gold with a 290.45, finishing ahead of another Malaysian Kimberly Bong Qian Pin and Vietnamese Ngo Phuong Mai with a 230 and a 224, for the silver and bronze, respectively.

Another kickboxer – Kurt Ludan (low kick -54kg) – was gunning for semis spot and a guranteed bronze at press time.

Drake, a California native who started out as a gymnast for eight years before shifting to the diving four years back, gets another medal crack when she plunges back into action in the 3m springboard tomorrow.

The Philippine women’s football team, for its part, tries to ride the momentum of its historic FIFA World Cup qualification as it tackles Cambodia tonight at 7 p.m. (Philippine time) in a Group A match at the Cam Pha Stadium.

The Filipinas would be without Chandler McDaniel due to an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury and Katrina Guillo due to club commitments, and are expected to rely heavily on Japan-based stars Quinley Quezada and Sarina Bolden as well as skipper Tahnai Annis and Hali Long.