Ferrera wins 7th gold; Lozada, Buenavista fall

HANOI, Vietnam (Via Globe Telecom) — Arnel Ferrera ruled the hammer throw event in runaway fashion, giving the RP tracksters their only gold of the day as medal hopefuls John Lozada, Eduardo Buenavista and the relay team bowed to the opposition on the penultimate day of athletic competitions in the 22nd Southeast Asian Games yesterday.

Ferrera threw the iron ball over a distance of 55.28 meters on his fourth attempt to win the gold in a repeat of his feat in the Asian Grand Prix this year. A far second was Indonesian Ong Kok Hin (50.89m).

That was the seventh gold of athletics and it could be the last following harrowing losses in three other events — the 800m, 5,000m and the 4 x 400m relay — part of the Philippines’ projection of 11 gold medals.

The Philippines’ hope for an eighth gold now hinges on Roy Vence and Allan Ballester who are competing in today’s marathon, last event of athletics competitions.

The RP tracksters suffered a bitter loss when Lozada, winner of the 1,500m run Monday, lost to foul-running Vietnamese who made a 1-2 finish in the 800m and relegated the defending champion to third.

Vietnamese Le Van Duong won the gold in 1:50.72, while compatriot Nguyen Dinh Cuong took the silver in 1:52.05. Lozada finished third in 1:52.50.

Lozada was leading from the start until the last 150 meters when Nguyen stepped on his right heel, tearing the outer part of the shoe. Lozada lost his momentum as he ran with his heel on the mouth of his shoe, allowing Duong to surge ahead for the win.

Nguyen also swept past Lozada to finish second.

Indonesian Dicky Gunawan, the silver medalist in 2001, said he was also elbowed by the champion in the last 250 meters. He and Thai competitor Aniruth Sai, who said he saw the Vietnamese step on Lozada’s heel, later came near the winner and threw a dirty finger on him and cursed him in the Thai language.

Security officers had to separate the two camps to prevent the situation from getting out of hand when the winner and Vietnamese supporters were about to react and attack the Thai and Indonesian at the exit near the finish line.

"They are not fair. This is not a fair race," said the Thai.

"That’s the only way they could beat Lozada," said athletics chief Go Teng Kok, who took in his custody the torn shoes of Lozada.

RP coach Romeo Gido said the incident, whether accidental or intentional, could not be the basis of a complaint because it affected the rear part of the foot.

"Kung sa harap nangyari iyon, puwedeng mag-protesta," he said.

Buenavista, winner of the 10,000 m run Sunday, stepped up the pace in the last 300 meters to pull away from the Thai right behind him, but he lost steam in the last 100 meters.

"Talo ako sa sprint, mabilis ang Thai," he said.

The men’s 4x400 relay team of Jimar Aing, Ronnie Marfil, Ernie Candelario and Rodrigo Tanuan, being touted as the modern version of the famous Bicol Express of the 80s, was second to Thailand which clocked 3:09.33. The Filipinos timed 3:10.20. The men’s and women’s 4x100 relay teams and the women’s 4x400 relay squad were last among four teams.

Melinda Manahan got the bronze (1:55.06) in the 20k walk behind Malaysian Yuan Yu Fang who set a Games record of 1 hour, 19 minutes, 25 seconds. The silver went to Indonesian Tersiana Riwu Rohi (1:44.01).