ASIAN GAMES

SPORTS

NATALIE FLORES

TEAM PHILIPPINES BAGGED a total of 21 medals, 4 gold, 2 silver, and 15 bronze,

in the last 18th Asian Games in Jakarta–Palembang.

Philippines claimed the 19th spot among 37 of the 45-nation Games through the gold
medals won in weightlifting, golf and skateboarding.

Olympic silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz secured the Philippines' first gold medal with a total
of 207 that amounted for 92 kgs in the snatch and 115 in the clean and jerk which propelled her
the top in the women's 53kg event.

In the team event Yuka Saso, Bianca Pagdanganan, and Lois Kaye Go pulled of a
convincing sweep to secure the gold medal in women's golf tournament.

Meanwhile Saso claimed her second gold medal after finishing the competition at 13-
under 275, 3 shots lower than silver winner Liu Wenbo of China.

Pagdanganan join Saso at the podium in the women's indivudual event after winning the
bronze medal with a similar six-under 66 combined with a 72-hole score of 279.

On the women's skateboard street competition, the 19-year-old skateboard sensation,

Margielyn Didal, struck gold with a total score of 30.4, edging Japan and Indonesia to claim her
spot on the top.

In the Judo’s women’s -63kg division, Judoka Kiyomi Watanabe earned the first silver
medal for the Philippines after bowing to Nami Nabekura of Japan.

Watanabe yield a fraction of a point after losing her balance in the first minute, then
surrendered full points after getting pinned for 10 seconds in the closing minute of the match
forcing her to settle for the silver with a 10-0 result in favor of Nabekura.

In the boxing competition, Rogen Ladon, a first-timer in the Asian Games, settled for the
silver medal after losing to Jasurbek Latipov of Uzbekistan in the men’s flyweight (52kg) event
Latipov won with a 3-1 advantage.

The Philippines was able to bag 15 bronze medals; 2 in boxing, 4 in pencak silat, 3 in
taekwondo, 2 in wushu, 1 in cycling-BMX, 1 in ji-jitsu, 1 in karate.

Dave Andrew B. Bati