Reyes adds bronze to Para Games medal collection
NAGOYA, Japan — From falling from a macopa tree where he lost his right arm at five years old to raking in medals in international races almost two decades later.
That’s how King James Reyes’ life has transformed after he added another feat to his impressive resume — a bronze in the 5th Asian Para Games at the Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium here Friday.
The 24-year-old ASEAN Para Games double gold winner timed in four minutes and 13.81 seconds to deliver the Philippine team’s first and only medal thus far in this edition.
Sri Lankan Wahumpurage and Puwakpitikande took the gold in 4:03.25 while Indian Parmod the silver in 4:09.65.
“Sa tulong ni God, hindi po naging hadlang ang kapansanan ko para ma abot ko ang aking mga pangarap,” said the proud son of Loreto, Agusan del Sur and graduating Sports Science student at Adamson.
“Personal best ko din po ito, nagbunga training namin at sacrifices,” he added.
It also buried the stigma made of the heartbreaking incident the day before when Cyril Cloyd Ongcoy lost his bronze also in the 1500m but in a different category — T12/T13 — following the jury’s decision to reinstate an initially disqualified Fakhriddin Khamraev of Uzbekistan, who pocketed the mint instead.
With more track and field events plus swimming and fencing left in the Filipinos’ schedule, the Philippines, which was financed by the Philippine Sports Commission, is presently at 17th overall in the medal race with a 2-2-2 harvest.
Evaristo Carbonel and Edwin Enguito, Jr. reached for medals but couldn’t catch one.
Carbonel posted a personal best of 27.18m in the men’s discus throw F11 but it was only good for fifth and last, while Enguito ended up fourth in the men’s high jump T63 with a 1.63m.
In fencing at the Nagoya City Inae Sports Center, Wilfredo Bugayong II and Violeta Sapalit both crashed out in the medal race in saber.
Bugayong advanced to the Table 16 of men’s Category A after overcoming Hong Kong’s Lee Sheung Ho, 15-5, the round before but ran into Chinese Cheng Yang and suffered a 6-15 beating.
Same with Sapalit, who was shown the door by South Korean Kim Yeji, 6-15, in the Table of 16.
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