Six of seven muay boxers advance to medal match

Three-time muay world champion Brent Velasco struggled against taller rival Xanxai Boonthavy of Laos but nevertheless came out a 4-1 winner in the bantamweight division to gain a finals slot in the first ever SEA Games muay thai competition at the GSIS gymnasium in Pasay City.

Velasco, a 5-4 native of Baguio, couldn’t get his offensive rhythm going early against the rangy Laotian but the Pinoy champ eventually connected timely kicks and jabs to earn the judges’ nod in the 51-54 kg. semifinals.

With the win, he arranged a final showdown against equally-talented Thai Mongkhorn Punpiboon, who prevailed over Myanmar’s Saw Kyaw Aye by unanimous decision.

"He got two strong kicks to my body, and it still hurts till now," said Velasco after the match. I bore it, and gave him a series of kicks and punches in the last two rounds."

The other RP contender, Reynold Trasmonte, settled for the bronze after succumbing to Laos bet Lansanh Masopha, 1-4, in the featherweight division (54-57 kgs.).

Masopha advanced to the finals against Thailand’s Veerapol Nonting, who also turned back Tun Lin of Myanmar.

With Velasco’s feat, the Pinoy muay athletes will be gunning for six of the seven golds in Sunday’s finals.

The other day, Roland Claro and Zaidi Laruan barged into the finals of the flyweight and lightflyweight divisions, respectively, while three RP pairs are already assured of the finals in the artistic event called "Wai Kru". They are Rogelio Garganera and Davis Panisigan in the men’s 57-60 kg. category, Claire Cadampong and Lianne Flameno in the women’s 51-54 kgs.class and the duo of Teresita Victoria Agbayani and Cristina Custodio in the women’s 54-57 kg. division.

The Sunday finals start at 3 p.m. — Bong Castro