Gallenero declared SEAG gold medalist

It’s official: The Philippines’ Dandy Gallenero won the men’s javelin throw gold medal in the 21st Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur last September.

Gallenero was unanimously proclaimed winner by the Southeast Asian Games Federation Executive Committee in its meeting last Dec. 20 in Kuala Lumpur after gold medalist Thirdsak Boonjansri of Thailand was disqualified for failing a drug test.

This brings to 31 the official total number of gold medals the Philippines won in the biennial meet although it remained fifth behind Vietnam, which had 33.

Malaysia won the overall championship with 108 gold medals, with Thailand second (101) and Indonesia third (72).

Gallenero’s winning mark was 67.14 meters, way ahead of Myanmar’s Kyaw Swar Moe (64.48m) and Thailand’s Sanya Buathong.

Another athlete – Thailand’s Chom Singhoi – was declared gold medalist in weightlifting (men’s 62kg category) when original winner Gustar Juni Anto of Indonesia tested positive for drug.

Discus thrower Wansawang Sawusdee of Thailand was likewise stripped of his silver medal for failing the drug test. Duong Enxin was awarded the silver, making it a 1-2 finish for Singapore since Wong Tuck Yim James had bagged the gold with a heave of 56.93 meters.

Philippine Olympic Committee board member and Philippine Football Federation president Rene Adad attended the SEAGF meeting which was chaired by Tunku Imran ibni Tuanku Ja’afar, president of the Malaysian Olympic Committee.

The disqualified athletes have been asked to surrender their medals on or before Jan. 20, next year. The other athletes whose medals were affected by the disqualification also have to return their medals to their respective NOCs (National Olympic Committees) during the same period in order to get the correct prizes.

"Both Thai and Indonesian representatives, who were present during the meeting, apologized to the SEAG Federation," Adad explained.

Gallenero’s gold – the ninth in athletics – boosted PATAFA president Go Teng Kok’s stock as the country’s biggest sports achiever this year.

Other athletics winners were Eduardo Buenavista (3,000m steeplechase and 5,000m run), Ernie Candelario (400m), Fidel Gallenero (decathlon), John Lozada (800m), Elma Muros (heptathlon), Cristabel Martes (women’s marathon) and Roy Vence (men’s marathon).