Muay boxers miss title despite 3 golds

With the President watching from the sidelines, the Philippines put up a strong fight for the golds at stake but fell short in its bid to wrest the overall championship from Thailand yesterday at the culmination of the first SEA Games muay thai competition at the GSIS gymnasium in Pasay City.

World champion Roland Claro emerged the lone Filipino champion in the muay division as he bagged the gold over Thailand’s Uchaim Yingram in the light flyweight (45-48 kgs).

The other two golds were delivered by the RP women’s Wai Kru team. The tandem of singer Viktoria Agbayani and Cristina Custodio displayed synchronized moves and defined motions a perfect 10 against Thailand’s Jirapan Pinmaneewong and Pornipa Muadtham to capture the women’s 54-57 kg. title.

Likewise, Filipina wai kru artists Claire Cadampog and Lianne Flameno clinched the women’s 51-54 kg. gold also with a perfect 10 against the Thai duo of Angkana Tangthai and Chawanya Suriya.

But overall, Thailand still emerged champion with a medal tally of three golds and four silvers. The Philippines came a strong second also with three golds but with only three silvers and a bronze.

Three-time world champion Brent Velasco succumbed to Thai rival Mongkhom Punpiboon and settled for the silver in the bantamweight category while Zaidi Laruan was outclassed by another Thai Virapong Nonting for the lightweight crown.

The tandem of Rogelio Garganera and Davis Panisigan delivered the third silver after yielding to the Thai pair of Opas Sualek and Taweesak Mennoi in the men’s wai kru.

Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo led the awarding of medals of the highly successful staging of Muay SEA Games competition. She was joined by the First Gentleman Miguel Arroyo, POC Chairman Robert Aventajado, PSC Chairman Butch Ramirez, San Miguel’s Robert Non and SMB Muay project director Samboy Lim who really went out to give the athletes inspirational messages just before the competition.

Getting in the way of the RP-Thailand showdown was Laos which grabbed a gold behind Lansanh Masopha who prevailed over Weerapol Nonting of Thailand in the 51-54 kg. division.