Arcilla makes history

Iligan pride 1st Pinoy to win soft tennis men’s singles

PHNOM PENH – Practically away from the hot bright lights that follow his high-profile Team Philippines peers, soft tennis veteran Joseph Arcilla went about business at the National Olympic Stadium and quietly made history for himself.

In doing so, the first Filipino to win the men’s individual singles title in Southeast Asian Games soft tennis averted a gold medal shutout for a contingent that decelerated in the face of the rivals’ sustained charge yesterday.

Overcoming cramps, Arcilla crushed Indonesia’s Muhammad Hemat Bhakti Anugerah, 4-1, to secure the coveted title that put his name in the annals and continued soft tennis’ smashing run here.

Arcilla’s historic gold complemented the two previously produced in women’s doubles by Bien Zoleta-Mañalac and Princess Catindig and in the women’s team event by Christy Sañosa, Fatima Amirul, Virvienica Bejosano, Zoleta-Mañalac and Catindig.

Zoleta-Mañalac’s younger sister, Bambi Zoleta, failed to make it a sweep of the individual mints as she bowed to Indonesia’s Dwi Rahayu Pitri in tiebreak in the distaff side, 4-3 (7-4), to settle for second-place honors.

The fancied boxing team moved into striking position for five golds after semifinal victories by Olympic silver medalist Nesthy Petecio (featherweight), Rogen Ladon (flyweight), Ian Clark Bautista (featherweight), Norlan Petecio (welterweight) and John Marvin (light-heavyweight) last night.

They joined Irish Magno (bantamweight) and Riza Pasuit (light-welterweight), who booked their tickets Tuesday.

Undeterred by the home crowd, Petecio shut out hometown bet Vy Sreysros, 5-0, while Bautista and Marvin scored similar unanimous victories over Myanmar’s Naing Latt and Cambodia’s Nasredinov Anvar, respectively, to advance.

Petecio’s brother, Norlan, was a 4-1 victor over Singapore’s Jun Jie Tan as Ladon posted a similar score card in dispatching Malaysia’s Muhammad Arrifin.

Arcilla, a member of the crew that ruled the men’s team event the last time soft tennis was played in the Manila edition, swept his way to history.

He first squeaked past Cambodia’s own Yi Keavirak, 4-3 then trounced Laos’ Bekki Vongphakdy, 4-1, before demolishing Thailand’s Kawin Yannarit by three to get a shot at the gold against Anugerah, who advanced after going 2-of-2 in his group.

Arcilla’s brilliance was a welcome relief for the 840-strong delegation backed by the Philippine Sports Commission, which experienced losses in other fronts.

The solitary gold was a downgrade from the six scooped Tuesday and marked the weakest since action went full-blast last May 6.

As of 7:30 p.m. (Manila time), the Filipinos had 26 golds, 43 silvers and 52 bronzes for fifth overall in the medal tally behind new pacesetter Vietnam (47-46-55), host Cambodia (46-41-51), Thailand (44-32-52) and Indonesia (32-31-55).

They stood five mints ahead of sixth-running Singapore (21-19-22).