PHUKET, Thailand – Phillip Delarmino delivered several vicious kicks that disfigured the face of his Thai rival in their gold-medal match in the fourth Asian Beach Games.
Too bad the explosive Filipino muay fighter needed more than just beating up Parin Luangpon to earn the judges approval.
“I failed to knock him out,” said the 24-year-old from Dumangas, Iloilo. “But I clearly won that fight.”
Luangpon won on points, 4-1, in the men’s 54kg finale at the Patong Central Beach here but the non-Thai crowd wasn’t convinced.
“It was disappointing. I took the first and third rounds,” said Delarmino clutching the shiny silver medal in his right arm.
The Philippines thus ended its impressive stint in the continental meet at joint 14th overall with Hong Kong after collecting three gold medals, two silvers and seven bronzes.
It was the best finish of the Philippines since the biennial Games began in 2008 Bali, Indonesia. A total of 77 Filipino athletes saw action in 16 sports.
“We only hoped to win a gold because we hadn’t won a gold before, but our athletes gave us three. I couldn’t ask for more,” said Philippine chef de mission Richard Gomez.
Delarmino, silver medalist in the Myanmar Southeast Asian Games, bloodied the lips of Luangpon in the first round after an explosive kick to the face.
The Filipino pressed the attack with blows to the head and body before Luangpon finally got his bearings in the next round, hurting Delarmino with his knees.
Luangpon ferociously chased Delarmino for the clinch in the final round but the latter continued to score on kicks.
When the winner was about to be announced, Delarmino raised both fists only to shake his head in disbelief.