Molina bags tankers’ lone gold

LOS BANOS, Laguna — Day 1 of the 23rd Southeast Asian Games swimming competition turned out to be a Singapore show.

Thanks to Miguel Molina, the Philippines salvaged a gold.

Molina provided the lone bright spot to what was a gloomy RP start with a victory in the 400-m individual medley yesterday, giving the huge drumbeating, chanting crowd at the Trace Aquatics Center here something to cheer about.

The US-based Molina, out to improve his two-gold, two-silver, three bronze medal haul in the 2003 Hanoi Games, clocked four minutes and 26.21 seconds, besting Indonesian Akbar Nasution (4:27.90) and Singaporean Lionel Lee (4:32.58). Another local bet Ferdinand Frigillana finished seventh (4:54.10).

"I trained hard this year for this event," said the 21-year-old Molina, a fourth year International Relations student at University of California in Berkeley.

He broke the national record of 4:23.26 he himself set and could have smashed the SEAG mark of 4:23.20 by Thai Ratapong Sirisanont in Vietnam if not for several factors.

"He’s (Molina) excellent," said swimming chief Mark Joseph, who said President Arroyo will personally cheer for the swimmers in today’s resumption of the pool events.

"He actually could have broken the national record, he was probably reserving his strength for the relay race," he added.

The women’s 800-m freestyle relay squad of EricaTotten, Marichi Gandionco, Chrizel Lagunday and Nicole Santiago snatched the host nation’s other medal — a bronze.

Thailand collared the gold with 8:24.93 that smashed its own record of 8:25.51 it registered in the 1999 Brunei Games.

In contrast, Laguna native Lizza Danila suffered a stinging defeat with a fifth place finish in the 200-m backstroke, where she is the silver medalist in Vietnam and Kuala Lumpur.

The 23-year-old Danila, who hails from San Pablo, was at second entering the final 40 meters but she couldn’t sustain her momentum and ended up fifth with 2:23.65. Her teammate Luica Dacanay was seventh with 2:28.05.

Mendoza’s celebration was cut short after his 800-m freestyle relay team of Ronald Guiriba, Miguel Mendoza and Ryan Arabejo finished fourth and last in 7:35.85.

Singapore dominated the event with record-breaking 7:35.85 while Thailand and Indonesia seized the silver and the bronze in 7:42.22 and 7:43.56, respectively.

"I think I didn’t get enough rest between my events," said Molina, who is also participating in three individual and two team events. "I could have helped the team more if I swam faster."

Singapore owned the old mark of 7:38.82 in 2001.

Pool phenom Joscelin Yeo, the Vietnam Games’ best female athlete with a six-gold medal haul, anchored Singapore’s surge with victories in two events — 100-m free and 200-m IM.

Recovering from a sluggish start where she finished second to last out of eight qualifiers, Yeo, 24, unleashed her fury and topped the 100-m freestyle in 56.41, besting Jiratida Phinyosophon of Thailand (57.74) and Moe Thu Aung of Myanmar (58.05).

The three-time Olympic veteran and holder of seven SEAG records from the 1999 Brunei Games at 18 the copped the 200-m IM gold (2:19.23), way ahead of compatriot Nicolette Teo (2:22.86) and Thai Nimitta Thaveesupsoonthorn (2:25.60).

Fil-Am Erica Totten, who made it to the National squad by smashing three national records in the Lumino Nationals in Florida early this year, came up short in snaring a bronze as she finished fourth in 2:25.60 with teammate Jenny Rose Guerrero at sixth (2:30.26).

Tao Li, reportedly a former Chinese national, booked Singapore’s third gold in the 200-m back in 2:17.55. Chonlathorn Vorathamrong of Thailand was second (2:18.66) while Yuliana Malinda of Indonesia was third (2:26.52).

Meanwhile, Jacklyn Pangilinan makes her SEAG debut today as she plunges into action in the 100-m breaststroke along with countryman Jenny Rose Guerrero.