Diaz Delivers PH’s 1st Gold in Asian Games

The Philippines captured its first gold medal in the 18th Asian Games, courtesy of weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz in the women’s 53kg category, on Tuesday night.

Diaz, a silver medalist in the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil, topped the event with a total lift of 207kg.

Turkmenistan’s Kristina Shermetova lifted 206kg to win the silver medal while Thailand’s Surodchana Khambao clinched the bronze with a total lift of 201kg.

Ma. Dessa delos Santos placed eighth among 12 entries with a total lift of 180kg.

Meanwhile, Nathaniel Perez lost to Hong Kong’s Nicholas Edward Choi, 6-15, in the men’s foil individual round-of-16 in the fencing competitions at the Jakarta Convention Center.

Perez, who defeated Indonesia’s Mohammad Zulfikar, 15-10, in the round-of-32, has a 2-2 win-loss record in the Pool A preliminaries.

He won over Thailand’s Chornasun Mayakarn (5-3) and Indonesia’s Dennis Ariadinata (6-2) but lost to Hong Kong’s Cheung Ka Long (3-5) and Vietnam’s Nguyen Minh Quang (5-0).

Brennan Wayne Louie, on the other hand, took an early exit when he bowed to Chen Chihchieh, 13-15, in the round-of-32.

In the Pool B preliminaries, Louie won over Chihchieh (5-4), Thailand’s Sitsadipat Doungpatra (5-1) and Singapore’s Kevin Jerrold Chan (5-1). However, he lost to China’s Ma Jianfei (2-5) and South Korea’s Ha Taegyu (3-5).

In the women’s individual epee event, Hanniel Abella failed to advance to the round-of-32 after posting a loss in the Pool C preliminaries.

Abella beat Kazakhstan’s Ulyana Balaganskaya (5-4) but lost to South Korea’s Choi Injeong (4-5), India’s Jyotika Dutta (1-5), Lebanon’s Dominique Nicole Tannous (3-5) and Mongolia’s Gerelmaa Baatarchuluun (1-5).

In tennis, Thailand’s Sanchai Ratiwatana and Nicha Lenpitaksinchai eliminated Francis Casey Alcantara and Filipino-German Katrina Lehnart, 6-0, 6-2, in the second round of the mixed doubles event at the Jakabaring Sports City court in Palembang, South Sumatra. (PNA)