Fil-Aussie surfer claims silver medal

BALI, Indonesia – Fil-Australian surfer Luke Richard Thomas Landrigan flashed awesome form to win the men’s longboard silver medal yesterday in the first Asian Beach Games at the Kuta beach here.

Landrigan, who has been surfing for the last eight years, tallied 10.9 points in the grand finals to give the Philippines its second medal in surfing after Carlito Nogalo’s bronze finish in the shortboard event Sunday.

Japan’s Yuta Morimoto had a total of 16.75 points to pocket the gold medal.

“I’m very happy winning the silver because it’s my first international tournament for the Philippines,” said the 26-year-old Landrigan, who owns a surfing school in his hometown La Union.

Landrigan, a regular competitor in annual Siargao International Invitational Championship, topped Round 1 (14.50) but finished second (11.30) to Morimoto (12.45) in Round 2.

In Round 3, Landrigan scored 11.5 points to advance against Morimoto, who topped the repechage semis with 16.75 points. Wayan Widiana of Indonesia submitted 12.60 points for the bronze medal.

Aside from Landrigan’s silver, the Philippines also had two bronzes coming from dragon boat and pencak silat.

The Philippines clocked 2:11.16 to finish third behind Myanmar (1:53.23) and Indonesia (1:59.00) in the men’s dragon boat 500-meter event at Sanur.

Emraida Asmad, bronze winner in the 2007 SEA Games and World Championships, lost to Malaysian Rina Jordan Haji Adnan, 0-5, in the women’s pencak silat Class A (45-50kg) division at Tanjung Benoa.

In men’s beach volleyball, Rhovyl Verayo and Jonrey Sasing bowed to Indonesians Suratna Suratna and Dian Putna Santoso, 19-21, 21-13, 19-17, in the preliminary pool G.