Pre-SEA Games Mountainbike: Barba wins gold

DANAO City - Dumaguete City native Joey Barba maintained his poise to lead an impressive RP sweep of all the medals at stake in the downhill competition of the 2005 pre-Southeast Asian Games Mountainbike competition yesterday at Manlayag-Patag in Danao City.

Also, the women's division captured a bronze medal to add to RP's medal count.

Barba, who missed the gold in the First Southeast Asian Mountainbike Championships also here in Danao last year, made true his promise to go for the gold medal as he finished the 2.8-kilometer course in 3 minutes and 57.48 seconds to win the title.

His time, actually was added two seconds because he used the option in the first drop, like his teammate Michael Borja.

"Wa gyud ko kabaw nga option diay to ang akong giagian. Sayang instead of 3:54, na 3.57 na nuon akong time, pero sige lang, lipay gihapon ko kay gold naman," Barba said.

Borja eventually settled for silver in 4:11.15 while the new RP squad member Jefferson Odiviar clinched the bronze in 4:21.06.

Singapore's Herman Mohd settled for fourth place with 4.31.21, outsmarting the fourth RP bet, Parabanne Mendoza, who timed 4:34.89 as Thailand's Siticai Ketkaewanee was sixth with 5:08.13 and Wisit Pheungnoi at seventh with 6:11.46.

In the distaff side, Thailand bounced back with Sattayawan Adbulkaree claiming the gold in 5:27.27 with Taiwan's Chen Ju-miao wounding up second in 5:50.44.

Athena Beltran of the Philippines managed to hang on after suffering a fall in the seeding run and took away the bronze.

National Open

Former RP member James Sardea is back in his old form after winning the elite division of the National Open, clocking 4:33.58.

Eleazar Barba trailed in 4:39.60, beating playing RP coach Eboy Farr, who settled third with a clocking of 5.19.84.

In the intermediate class, Eddie Cris Donaire topped in his class in 4:50.66, beating PJ Yu, who had 4.57.86 as Romeo Niez ended third with 5:03.65.

Early favorites Gene Faelnar and Ted Conde could only make it to fifth and sixth places respectively.

Hanzel Bacalso also lived up to expectations as he got the top post in 5:38.07, defeating Michael Merilles who had 6:21.88 as former UC varsity Elwin "Bawing" Bucariza grabbed the third honors with 5:49.80.

Another visiting rider, Boy Sarol also grabbed part of the limelight after coming out the fastest among the executive riders.

Sarol won the battle in 5:24.41 as Fulvio Narciso,Jr. took the second spot in 5:32.17 and Richard Lato was third in 6:35.67.

Today, the pre-SEA Games action shifts to the Ramon Durano Memorial Sports Complex in Sabang for the cross-country competition wherein Team Philippines is expected to get two more gold medals.

The country's bets for the cross-country are Eusebio Quinones, Nino Surban, Jojo Cortes, March McQuinn Aleonar and Marites Bitbit and Nitzel Montebon in the female division.