Asusano lone PH winner after 8-gold rush in ASEAN Para Games

SURAKARTA, Indonesia – The Philippines’ campaign slowed down just a day after an eight-gold medal rush in the 11th ASEAN Para Games at the Manahan Stadium here.

Thrower Cendy Asusano emerged as the lone Filipino to capture a gold medal on Wednesday, August 3, as the rest of the Philippine contingent struggled. 

Asusano – who was disqualified in the discus throw last Tuesday due to a loose strap on the throwing chair – came back strong to set a new personal best of 5.65 meters on her fourth try in the shot put event.

Her gold-winning performance surpassed her old mark of 5.50 meters in the 2017 edition in Malaysia.

It was the Pasig-based athlete’s second mint out of three events after handily winning the javelin throw in the opening day of action of the 11-nation showcase for the best para athletes in the region.

“Nabawi ko po yong DQ (disqualification) ko… kinalimutan ko po para hindi ma-stress,” said Asusano, who swept all of her three events five years ago.

(I made up for my DQ… I just moved on so I won’t get stressed.)

In 5×5 men’s wheelchair basketball at the GOR Sritex Arena, the Philippines rode a big first half to whip Indonesia, 61-30, to set up another showdown for the gold with Thailand on Friday.

Banking on their bench depth, the Filipino cagers outscored the hosts, 34-14, in the first two quarters in rolling two their second win in three games in the single-round series.

Based on the records compiled by the PSC and the Philippine Paralympic Committee, the Filipino campaigners now have a total of 14 gold, 13 silver, and 29 bronze medals for an unofficial tally of fourth overall in the medal standings.

Over at the Jatadiri Sports Complex in Semarang, swimmers Roland Sabido and Arnel Aba added silver and bronze medals, respectively, to the country’s collection in the stint backed by the Philippine Sports Commission.

Sabido was second in the men’s 100-meter backstroke S9 event in 1 minute and 15.820 seconds, while Aba bagged the bronze medal in the men’s 100m butterfly stroke S9 event in 1:23.40. 

But the Philippine swimmers hope to recover from their anemic showing with 2017 Malaysian ASEAN Para Games gold medalist Gary Bejino, veteran Ernie Gawilan, and Angel Otom expected to vie for gold Thursday.

Meanwhile, Arman Dino added a silver medal in the afternoon by placing second in the men’s 400m T46 race.

Contributing bronze medals in para athletics were King James Reyes, Andy Avellana, and Marites Burce in the men’s 1,500m T46 race, men’s high jump T42/T63 event, and women’s shot put F54, respectively.

Table tennis likewise delivered a bronze through the class 10 mixed doubles tandem of Pablo Catalan Jr. and Minnie Cadag, who took a 6-11, 8-11, 4-11 loss to Indonesia’s Komet Akbar and Aminah in the semifinals.

They added two more bronzes in the men’s doubles class 9 later in the afternoon courtesy of Benedict Gaela and Andrew Kevin Arandia and Pablo Catalan Jr. and Linard Sultan.

Judo also gave the country two bronze medals courtesy of Deterson Omas in the men’s J1 -60 kg class and Russel Cundangan in the women’s J1-J2 +57kg category. – Rappler.com