Kaitlin de Guzman performs in gymnastics floor exercise at the 2017 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
INQUIRER
Nationals remain at sixth place in ongoing Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur— The Philippines hauled a silver and two more bronze medals Wednesday at the close of artistic gymnastics in the 29th Southeast Asian Games here.
Kaitlin de Guzman added a silver in floor exercise and a bronze in balance beam to add to the earlier gold medal in uneven bars to become the most productive in the entire Team Philippines so far.
Reyland Capellan, the floor exercise champion, bagged bronze in the vault, the same output he had two years ago.
All in all, the country harvested two golds, one silver and two bronzes in artistics. The Philippine gymnastics team will compete in rhythmic starting Thursday
The Philippines, at press time, remained in sixth place with a medal tally of 8-12-15 (gold-silver-bronze).
Eric Cray won a gold in 400-meter hurdles competition late Tuesday for the country’s eighth gilt.
Host Malaysia still leads the biennial multi-sporting meet with a 43-35-24 haul.
All out
Meanwhile, three Filipino boxers vowed to go all out for a gold medal today.
Bantamweight Mario Fernandez, light middle Eumir Felix Marcial and light heavy John Nobel Tupas Marvin said they won’t pull any punches against their respective finals opponents.
Filipino-British Marvin, a former army boxer for Great Britain, said he will be ready for the boisterous Malaysian crowd at MITEC Hall 8 when he takes on local boy Adli Hafidz Mohd Pauzi for the crown.
“At the end of the day, you do what you gotta do, you exchange punches and don’t worry about anything,” said the 6-foot SEA Games rookie.
Marcial, who was in tears as he talked about his three teammates who suffered dubious losses, will be out for payback.
“I will be all-out sir,” said Marcial in Filipino. “I will go for a clear win and will be punching for all my teammates who lost by questionable decisions.”
Marcial, the 21-year-old from Zamboanga City, will battle Pathomsak Kuttiya, one of the five Thais who made it to the six gold medal matches.
Fernandez, who hails from Bukidnon, will face Thai Chatchai Butdee, who went from flyweight to bantamweight.