Supergirls put on show

CHONBURI – The Kayla Sanchez Show had its repeat run yesterday.

And with Sanchez splashing her way to a third conquest, Team Philippines added four more gold medals to its collection in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in various fronts.

Not content with anchoring the country to its first-ever triumph in the women’s 4x100m freestyle and leading a 1-2 finish in the 100m freestyle, the 24-year-old Olympian extended her brilliance to the 100m backstroke as she joined judoka Chino Sy and skateboard champs Mazel Paris Alegado, 11, and Jericho Francisco Jr. in the late-day quarry.

The quartet’s feats hiked the delegation’s harvest to 15 golds, 23 silvers and 52 bronzes.

Sanchez, who also has two silver medals to her name here, weaved her Midas touch again at the Sports Authority of Thailand Swimming Pool in Bangkok, clocking 1:02.35 to beat Thailand’s Mia Millar (1:02.52) and Indonesia’s Flairene Candrea (1:02.60).

Sy, a sambo champ in 2019 who switched back to judo recently, marked his SEAG return with a three-match sweep of the men’s 100 kg class capped by an ippon disposal of Indonesia’s Gede Ganding at the Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi Auditorium.

Alegado became the youngest member of the Philippines’ gold-medal club here when she ruled the skateboarding women’s park event at 79.72 with compatriot, Elizabeth Amador, also 11, taking the silver at 72.03.

Alegado and Amador are the youngest members of the Philippine delegation.

Francisco completed a sweep of skateboard’s Park competitions at the Hua Mark Indoor Skate Park with a dazzling performance worth 90.68 for the runaway victory against Thailand’s Konwit Ketkaeo (82.43) and Brian Upapong (74.75).

Earning silvers for the day were Maxine Bautista, Merica Lillyn Chan, Kenneth Riley Buenavides, John Viron Ferrer, the men’s T20 cricket team and Yacine Guermali.

The men’s and women’s tennis teams, the jiu-jitsu mixed duo classic team, Paolo Borromeo, Alwyn Batican, the Mixed Makruk Team Standard chess team, the Petanque  Mixed Triples 1 Men + 2 Women team, the petanque Mixed Triples (2 Women + 1 Men team, Baby Jessica Canabal, Dave Cea, Patrick Coo, Sonny Wagdos, William Morrison III, Zion Nelson and Krisna Malecdan and Krizan Faith Collado got bronzes.

It started out slow for Team Philippines until Sy started the late charge.

“‘Yung kalaban ko sa finals, nakalaban ko na sya ‘nung Oceania competition so coming into the finals, confident ako na kaya ko i-uwi ang ginto para sa Pilipinas,” said the UST alum.

Sanchez took the early lead then fended off the attempts of her rivals in the final 50m to come out on top.

“I’m speechless. It’s been a long competition and I still have four more events to go so I’m just taking it day by day. And I knew I had to go out fast and keep it together and stay calm in the last 50,” she said.

“It’s also my dad’s (Noel) birthday today. I wanted to win this one for him and for the Philippines,” she added.

In women’s beach volleyball at the Jomtien Beach Pattaya, Alas Pilipinas stormed to its second straight victory with 2-0 shutout of Singapore.

Meanwhile, the Filipinas gun for a historic stint in the women’s football finals tonight as it clashes with tough Thailand in the semis at the Chonburi Daikin Stadium.

Flint Jara brushed off a bloody cut and scored a thrilling 3-2 victory over Flanuari Yerikho Daud of Indonesia to lift the spirits of Pinoy boxers who were stunned by the shocking loss of two-time Olympic medalist Nesthy Petecio.

Jara started slow and trailed in the opening round but rallied back after engaging his foe in a fierce slugfest to advance to the semifinals of the men’s 54-kilograms class.

A headbutt during an exchange in the second round left Jara with an open wound above his left eyebrow that was checked by the ring physician.

At the short end of another close fight, however, was Petecio, who absorbed a tough 3-2 loss to Indonesia Hasanah Huswatun in the women’s 63kg division.

Though obviously disappointed, the Olympic veteran took the loss on the chin and respected the decision of the judges.