SEAG heroes take on world-class rivals

DOHA — Athletics takes center stage Friday as hammer thrower Arniel Ferrera and steeplechaser Rene Herrera go up against world-class rivals in the finals even as the boxers Godfrey Castro and Joan Tipon eye semis berths and the national golf men’s and ladies squads open their bid against equally talented rivals in Day 7 of the Asian Games here.

Herrera, gold medalist in the SEA Games in Vietnam in 2003 and in Manila last year, faces a formidable field in the 3000m steeplechase at the sprawling Khalifa Stadium against some of the world’s best, including six whose best times are 20 seconds faster than that of the Filipino.

The 32-year-old Herrera has a personal best of 8:49.39 but Qatari Gamal Salem and Bahrain’s Tareq Salem both have 8:11 clockings and Saudi Arabia’s Ali Al-Amri has 8:21.87, thus making the event a virtual clash of the titans from the Middle East.

Still, Herrera is hopeful of a creditable performance in the event set at 8 p.m. where the temperature is expected to drop low as heavy rains continued to pound this city Thursday, forcing the delay of some events.

Ferrera, silver medalist in the Manila SEAG, will also have his hands full against a battery of rivals in the men’s hammer throw final set at 5:20 p.m. The Filipino totes a personal best mark of 60.47m, which is too short a throw compared to the 76.97m by Kuwaiti Ali Zenkawi, 75.18m by Mohammed Al Kaabi of Qatar and the 73.33 of Japanese Diroaki Doi.

Also set to see action in athletics are SEAG champion Henri Dagmil and Joebert Delicano in the qualifier of the men’s long jump, and Ernie Candelario and Julius Nierras in the 400m run heats.

Castro, meantime, takes on Ali Saad Al Ahmry at the Aspire Hall 5, hoping to get past the Saudi Arabian fighter and advance to the semis of the lightflyweight division for a sure bronze for the Philippines.

That’s the same target of Tipon, who battles crack North Korean fighter in Kim Won Guk in an expected brawl in the quarterfinal round of the 54kg category.

Focus will also be on the youthful RP women’s golf squad of Dottie Ardina and Cyna Rodriguez, who with Anya Tanpinco go up against the Japanese and the Taiwanese in the first round of the golf competitions at the Doha Golf Club, 8 kms north of central Doha.

How Ardina, 13, and Rodriguez, 15, would fare against their older rivals will be known today with the reigning Junior World champions and Tanpinco confident of contending for medal honors in the four- day event ending Monday.

Marvin Dumandan and Jay Bayron, on the other hand, spearhead the men’s field against world-caliber rivals and along with Michael Bibat and Gene Bondoc, they hope to come up with a good start to set their bid in motion.

Over at the Al Sadd Multi Purpose Hall, Rubilen Amit and Mary Ann Basas see action in the women’s 8-ball while Antonio Gabica and Leonardo Andam resume their campaign in the men’s 9-ball competition.