Lombridas, Paraso cop golds in SEA gymnastics

Kris Matthew Lombridas and Patricia Paraso dominated their respective events to hand the Philippines its first two gold medals in the 12th Association of Southeast Asian Nation Schools Gymnastics Championships at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium yesterday.

The 18-year-old Lombridas, who won the silver medal in horse vault and bagged a bronze in high bar, copped the pommel horse gold with a score of 8.00 points, outclassing a field that included eventual silver medalist Tri Zupatra of Indonesia with 7.60.

Another Filipino bet Frederick Rocas and Singapore’s Hue Wah Kiat took the bronze medal on identical scores of 6.70 in this event sponsored by Milo and backed by New Balance, Systems Technological Institute, Air Philippines, Pagcor, Super Ferry, Centrum, Aktivade and Enchanted Kingdom.

"I’m happy that I won the gold," said Lombridas, a Marikina-based first year scholar at University of the East, in Filipino. "And I thank God, my family, my coaches and teammates for helping me."

Making it a twin kill for RP was the 14-year-old Paraso, who reigned supreme in the floor exercise with a score of 8.10 points, besting countryman Kristine Raissa Saguisag’s 7.68 and Singaporean Lee Wen Ling’s 7.40.

Paraso, a member of the women’s artistic squad that copped a bronze in the 2005 Manila Southeast Asian Games, almost made it a golden double but settled for the silver in balance beam with 7.58.

Tabetha Tay Jiau Hui of Singapore ruled the event with 7.63 while Malaysian Chan Sau Wah finished with a bronze with 7.33.

"We’re doing okay," said RP coach Sonny Ty.

Lombridas was also a member of the squad that snatched the silver in artistic team competition and won the bronze in the individual all-around in the event organized by the Philippine Sports Commission and the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines.

Other winners were Thai Sirinya Bunphueak (vault) and Indonesian Nefy Nurbaeli (uneven parallel bars) in the women’s division and Indonesians Trizupatra (parallel bars) and Agus Adifi (floor exercise) and Thais Woranad Kawpanya (high bar) and Chan Duang (ring).

Singapore is currently ahead of the pack in the medal standing with a three-gold, two-silver and four-bronze medals haul while Thailand and Indonesia took the next two spots with 3-2-3 and 3-2-1 aggregates, respectively.

RP is at No. 4 with a 2-3-3 harvest while Malaysia is fifth and dead last with 1-3-2.

The individual all-around and team events of rhythmic gymnastics were being played at presstime while the individual events are set in the final day today.