Bantam Joan Tipon ensured the Philippines’ remarkable finish after a silver-bronze effort in the last Asiad in Busan in 2002 with a 21-10 victory over Korean Han Soon Chul in the final of the 54kg division.
On his way to victory, his fifth straight since ruling the Asian Championships in Vietnam last year, Tipon blasted Taiwan’s Liu Shih Jung, 23-10, plastered North Korean Kim Won Guk then nipped Athens Olympics silver medalist Worapoj Petchkoom in a tiebreak to earn a crack at the title.
Earlier, flyweight Violito Payla gave Team RP its first gold with an emphatic 31-15 win over three-time tormentor Somjit Jongjohor, also of Thailand, with lightweight Genebert Basadre and light flyweight Godfrey Castro bagging a bronze each.
Uzbekistan won three golds in featherweight, middleweight and super heavy and went home with one silver and two bronzes to stake its claim as the best team in Asia while China took two golds in lightfly and lightweight and three bronzes.
The Filipinos’ victories over Thailand fighters also dropped the once mighty Thais to fourth with one gold in light welterweight, three silvers and one bronze medal.
"At least, we finished ahead of Thailand this time," said boxing president Manny Lopez. "But I’m proud of my boys, they really surpassed our expectations."
Before the Games, Lopez said only Tipon has the best chance to win the gold. But Payla still proved he’s got what it takes to be a champion while Basadre and Castro, two of the youngest finds in the team, showed they’re ready to take on the best fighters in the region.
The other members of the squad were featherweight Anthony Marcial, lightwelter Delfin Boholst and welterweight Francis Joven.
The team is set to arrive at 1 p.m. in Manila Friday. — Dante Navarro