Dawa grabs RP first judo gold

Helen Dawa saved the Filipino judokas from a gold medal shutout in the 23rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games judo competition witnessed by huge crowd yesterday at the Mandaue City Sports and Cultural Complex.

Despite being hobbled by a leg injury, Dawa dished out his best, beating Thailand’s Wanwisa Muenjit by hantei or decision in the extension to retain the -45 kg title she won in the 2003 Vietnam SEA Games.

Dawa and Muenjit both scored koka at the end of the five-minute regulation period to force the extension. Dawa then earned the judges’ nod after the two protagonists failed to score in the extra period.

"I’m very happy to defend my title here in our country," said Dawa, a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) draftee.

"I injured my left leg so badly one week before the SEA Games, but there’s no turning back for me. Everyone of us made a lot of sacrifices. I’m glad I won," said Dawa, who immediately proceeded to the medical room to have her leg examined.

Cheered by hometown fans, Dawa stormed her way to the finals by scoring an ippon or a full point over Vietnam’s Dang Le Bich Van with 46 seconds left in the five-minute match.

The Baguio City-native Dawa earlier defeated Indonesia’s Astraviani Sari to earn a semifinal ticket.

However, Dawa’s teammates Nancy Quillotes was stopped by Vietnam’s Van Ngoc Tu in just 22 seconds in the -48 kgs. finals.

Quillotes, who matched her silver finish in the 2001 Malaysia SEAG, took the bronze.

Quillotes marched into the finals after scoring a full point over Indonesia’s Yuliati. She earned a trip to the medal round by employing a solid armlock technique to force Malaysia’s Farl Kamaruddin into submission.

Their male counterparts were not as lucky with Tomohiko Hoshina bowing to Thailand’s Tharalat Sutthiphun in the +100 kgs. and Rick Jayson Senales falling prey to Indonesia’s Krisna Bayu.

Hoshina, however, bounced back o slam Laotian Khemkham Kommanivong flat on the mat for an outright full point that earned him the bronze medal in the +100 kgs.

It was the other way around for Senales, who was defeated by Vietnam’s Ly Huynh Long with just seven seconds gone by in the extra five-minute period.