Awesome Pinay pugs bag 3 golds

VIENTIANE, Laos – The Philippines’ demolition squad of Josie Gabuco, Alice Kate Apparri and Annie Albania scored awe-inspiring wins as they made three-of-three in the gold medal round of the women’s final and put the Philippines firmly on course for the overall supremacy in the Southeast Asian Games boxing competitions here yesterday.

Gabuco planted a right straight halfway in the fourth round to break a close game for a 6-5 win over Vietnamese Nguyen This Hoa in the pinweight (46 kg) class.

A match later, Apparri defied the boisterous hometown crowd as she made mincemeat of Laotian Milvady Hongfa, 14-3, in the light flyweight (48 kg) class.

Right after, in the third bout of the day, Asian Indoor Games champion Annie Albania connected with three solid blows that gave her a referee-stopped-contest (outclassed) victory over Indri Sambaiomana of Indonesia with the final score at 6-0 in the flyweight (51kg) category.

“This is a great day for Philippine boxing,” said team captain Ed Picson, who was at a loss for words amidst the din of celebration of the Philippine camp moments before the flag-raising rites for the medal winners.

Each of the three boxers will receive a bonus of P300,000 each from the boxing association as their bonus for winning the gold on top of what they will receive from the Philippine Sports Commission. A silver medal is worth P200,000 and a bronze P100,000 from the ABAP alone.

Boxing president Ricky Vargas, secretary general Pato Gregorio and vice president Manny Lopez led Filipino supporters who cheered the Filipino amazons who each won their bouts fair and square – beyond reasonable doubt.

Gabuco, the 22-year-old from Puerto Princesa, shattered the Vietnamese with powerful straights and cunningly prevented her rival’s last-ditch attempt to equalize by backpedalling at every shot.

“We told her to keep going in because the Vietnamese was able to duck Josie’s effective, weapon, the straight,” said women’s coach and former Olympian Roel Velasco.

Apparri now holds a 2-0 victory over the Vietnamese whom she defeated in the quarterfinals of the last World Championships in China.

“This is for all who supported me, especially my younger brother MJ,” said Gabuco, while trying to hold back tears.

The taller Apparri, from Baguio City, used her reach advantage to keep her opponent at bay while connecting with 1-2 combinations, one of which almost always found its mark.

“I tried to confuse my opponent who is a straight puncher,” said Apparri, who countered with cross-straight combinations as she led 4-0, in the first round, and 14-3 in the second round where the referee deducted two points from the Laotian for ducking violations.

Albania proved to be the stronger fighter against the Indonesian who took a mandatory standing 8-count thrice before the Filipina was awarded the win barely one minute left in the second round.

Bill Vicera, Harry Tañamor and Charly Suarez play in the men’s gold medal round today, bidding for three golds that will give the Philippines the overall supremacy in the boxing competitions held last year by Thailand with a preposterous 15-of-16 record.

Vicera goes up against local entry Sikham Vongpakhoun in the pinweight class. Tañamor, 31, faces tough Thai Kaeo Pongprayoon in the light flyweight (48kg) category while Suarez has a lighter assignment in Phal Sophat of Cambodia in the featherweight (57 kg) division.