PHL Bags 21 medals in Asian Beach Games

The Philippines ended its campaign in the 5th Asian Beach Games in Vietnam on Monday with a total of 21 medals.

The Philippines has won two golds, four silvers and 15 bronzes to finish 17th among 42 countries which took part in the tournament hosted by the coastal city of Da Nang.

Vietnam topped the medal standings with 52 golds, 44 silvers and 43 bronzes, while Thailand was second with 36 golds, 24 silvers and 30 bronzes.

China placed third with 12 golds, 18 silvers and 19 bronzes followed by Iran (9-6-6), Mongolia (7-4-8), Cambodia (6-6-9), Qatar (5-1-1), Jordan (4-4-5), United Arab Emirates (4-2-3) and Malaysia (3-6-5).

A total of 67 Filipino athletes competed in 11 events in the Asian Beach Games, a tournament organized by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). The Games is considered as the second largest multi-sport event after the Asian Games.

The Jiu-jitsu team pocketed five medals — two golds courtesy of Margarita Ochoa (women’s-45kg.) and Annie Ramirez (women’s-55kg.), one silver from Gian Taylor Dee (men’s-62kg.) and two bronzes from Jenina Kaila Napolis (women’s-55kg.) and Apryl Jessica Eppinger (women’s-62kg.).

Pencak silat produced three silvers and three bronzes in the Tanding event. The silver winners are Jaciren Abad (men’s 50kg.-55kg.), Jefferson Rhey Loon Jr. (men’s 60kg.-65kg.) and Princesslyn Enopia (women’s 45kg.-50kg.), while the bronze medalists are Dines Dumaan (men’s 45kg.-50kg.), Rick-Rod Ortega (men’s 55kg.-60kg.) and Clyde Joy Baria (women’s 55kg.-60kg.).

The kurash athletes who won bronze medals are Lloyd Dennis Catipon (men’s-73kg.), Jenielou Mosquesda (women’s-57kg.) and Helen Dawa (women’s-52kg.), while in muay thai, the bronze medal winners are Phillip Delarmino (men’s bantamweight 51-54kg.), Jonathan Polosan (men’s light welterweight 60-63.5kg.) and Jay Harold Gregorio (men’s middleweight 71-75kg.).

The other bronze medalists are Mark Harry Diones in the men’s triple jump, Marestella Torres-Sunang in women’s long jump, sepak takraw’s women’s trio of Desiree Autor, Gelyn Evora and Josefina Maat, and wrestling’s Noemi Tener in the women’s under 60kg. division.

Chef de Mission Karen Tanchanco-Caballero said she was satisfied with the performance of Team Philippines, which was sponsored by Bo’Athletics, Caribbean Flip Flops and Spyder Philippines.

“Over all, we are very pleased with the performance of our athletes here in Da Nang. We know that there is always room for improvement from preparation, conditioning for endurance and more exposure so each National Sports Association can better profile and anticipate the growth and development of other countries in their respective sport,” said Tanchanco-Caballero, who is also president of the Philippine Amateur Sepak Takraw Association.

The country’s best showing in the Asian Beach Games was winning three golds, two silvers and seven bronzes in Phuket, Thailand two years ago. The Philippines had two silvers and two bronzes in Haiyan, China (2012), and two silvers and eight bronzes in the inaugural Games in Bali, Indonesia in 2008.

Meanwhile, it was decided during the 35th Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) General Assembly meeting last Sept. 25 that the Asian Beach Games will now be held every four years instead of every two, with Goa City in India as the next host in 2020.

The OCA General Assembly also approved the opening of regional offices in the OCA’s five zones namely Bangkok, Thailand (South East Asia); Almaty, Kazakhstan (Central Asia); New Delhi, India (South Asia); Nansha, China (East Asia); and Kuwait (West Asia). The OCA will also open an office in Lausanne, Switzerland where the International Olympic Committee is based. (PNA)
CVL/JEAN T. MALANUM/EBP