Wushu team makes move, snares 3 golds

The wushu team, an expected source of gold medals for the Philippines in its bid for the overall crown, buckled down to work early, claiming three gold medals in the first day in the 23rd Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) at the Emilio Aguinaldo College Gym yesterday.

Pedro Quina ruled the taolu (form)-nanquan division, with a score of 9.30, upsetting SEAG defending champion and 2002 Busan Asian Games gold medalist Malaysian Ho Ro Bin, who finished with 9.21 to give the RP its first wushu gold. Indonesia’s Sandry Liong took the bronze with 9.16.

The Philippines struck for two more golds late in the night when Willy Wang, bronze medallist in the 2003 World championship, posted a winning tally of 9.28, in the jianshu and Arvin Ting won in daoshu with 9.3 points.

Quina combined strong movements with flexibility and grace in his routines to the judges’ nod.

"I feel really happy with this win. Ho has held this title for so long it feels great to finally win it," Quina said.

The two-time national champion, Quina, on his second SEAG stint, felt confident going into the competition having trained with the team in China for four months and a half for the biennial meet. Quina previously finished fourth in Vietnam last 2003.

Quina, 27, a native of Marinduque, played through the pressure to hurdle Ho, who had earlier posted the best score in the routine before a big cheering crowd.

"The crowd boosted my confidence even more," said Quina of the home crowd advantage.

Wushu Federation of the Philippines president Julian Camacho said he was not surprised with Quina’s early victory and confident the team would deliver the needed golds in its fight for the overall crown.

"The athletes are just delivering what is expected of them," said Camacho. "We can win 10 to 12 golds and I think we can beat Vietnam in the overall race ."

"He was very steady and confident during the routine. It was clear that he would win," said Camacho, who saw only Ho as the only person who can beat Quina in the event.

In other events, RP’s Kenneth Lim finished with 9.20 for third in the taijiquan elimination round behind Singapore’s Gon Qui Bin (9.28)

On the distaff side, Vietnam’s Dam Thanh Xuan and Lam Kieu My Dung captured the gold and bronze in the female gunshu (cudgel) with 9.30 and 9.10, respectively, for an early lead in the wushu over-all medal race. Indonesia’s Susyana finished with 9.20 for the silver.