28 SPORTS PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY May 1 - 20 , 2017
SPECTATOR
By Al Mendoza
EVERYBODY ’ S talking about Anthony Joshua , the bombastic British boxer .
After Joshua stopped Vitaly Klitchsko last weekend , he immediately earned tons of adulations .
Well , the fact that Joshua survived a fourthround knockdown and
Philippine bets delivered one gold , three silver and three bronze medals in the 79th Singapore Open Track and Field Championships held recently at the Singapore Sports Hub National Stadium in Singapore .
University of Perpetual Help System Dalta standout Francis Medina won the lone gold medal for the Philippines when he ruled the men ’ s 400m hurdles in 51.30 seconds in the tournament sanctioned by the Asian Athletics Association .
Medina outclassed 2015 Singapore Southeast Asian Games bronze medalist Andrian Andrian of Indonesia who settled for silver after crossing the finish line in 51.52 seconds while Kingkeo Inthavong of Laos finished third with 56.09 seconds .
The 21-year-old Medina bagged two gold medals in
The nucleus of the Southeast Asian Games ( SEAG ) -bound athletics team is setting up camp in Hong Kong next month , track and chief Philip Juico said yesterday .
“ They ’ re all spending seven weeks at the Hong
Joshua out to revive boxing from the pits
then scored an 11th-round knockout is not something to sneeze at .
Applause , applause ! It is always a thrill to see someone emerging victorious from a potential debacle .
Consider that this was a clash between heavyweights both standing 6-foot-6 ,
the 2017 National Open Track and Field Championships held in Isabela in April . He topped the 400m hurdles and was also part of the men ’ s 4x400m relay champion team .
For winning the gold , m a s s i v e l y built .
B y being able to rise from near obfuscation , against a foe of scary credentials , J o s h u a deserves a second look .
To be sure , Joshua , from pre-fight hype and all , was the heavy favorite and he should , therefore , win with ease . Far from that . Look , at 41 years of age , Klitchsko is old fogey . Rested quite a bit long , rust has slowed down the champ whose reign lasted a decade .
He was perfect for the
Medina is now assured of a spot in the national team bound for the 2017 SEA Games scheduled in August in Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia .
On the other hand , Immuel Camino , Rhea Joy Sumalpong and Riezel
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slaughterhouse .
There ’ s only one Bernard Hopkins , who was collecting world crowns even in his late 40s .
But Hopkins is more of boxing ’ s exception than the rule . He was born to box , retiring at age 51 I guess when , finally , Father Time decided it was time for him to retire .
Will Klitchsko go on fighting after Sunday ’ s 11thround KO loss to Joshua ?
Hard to tell . Boxers are the most stubborn , often lulled to believe they didn ’ t really lose a fight . Every setback is just another bad day in the office .
Klitchsko was Joshua ’ s 19th straight knockout victim in 19 fights .
If that ’ s not awesome enough , what is ?
The Ukrainean has but
Buenaventura won silver medals in their respective events .
Camino finished second in the men ’ s 3,000m steeplechase ( 9:30.70 ) behind gold medalist Chou Ting-Yin of Taiwan ( 9:11.36 ). one precious consolation : He was the first to last more than 7 rounds against Joshua , who is 12 years Klitchsko ’ s junior .
Joshua ’ s left hook that sent Klitchsko crashing down in the 11th was boxing ’ s big shot in the arm as well .
Long lacking of highimpact fights , the blast has revived a sport slumbering in wasteland .
With the Pacquiao era fast fading , boxing ’ s popularity seems on the wane .
Until Joshua knocked Klitchsko out .
At 29 years of age , Joshua has the sport in his fingertips .
A guy surnamed Fury is being lined up this early against Joshua .
Furious Fury is for real ? Like No-Joke Joshua ? Bring it on . .
Pinoy tracksters bag 4 medals in Singapore Open
Kong Sports Institute ,” said Juico , who then promised to come up with a concrete gold medal projection following the tracksters ’ stint .
Save for pole vaulter EJ Obiena , who has adjusted well in Italy , having trained there almost exclusively the
SEAG tracksters off to HK
last three years , everyone on the SEAG squad , even many US-based bets , are HKbound .
Two years ago in Singapore , the Philippines leaned on Fil-Am sprinter Eric Cray ’ s golds in the 100 m and 400 hurdles and three other top finishes and is also banking practically on the same cast in Kuala Lumpur from Aug . 19-30 .
Apart from Cray , expected to show up in the former Crown Colony are the Kayla Richardson , another Fil-Am speedster and SEAG
He finished fifth overall in the 5,000m run ( 15:58.24 ).
Sumalpong got her silver in the women ’ s discus throw ( 43.29m ) while Buenaventura took the runner-up honors in the women ’ s pole vault ( 3.40m ).
The bronze medal winners were Anfernee Lopena in the men ’ s 100m dash ( 10.73 ), Manuel Lasangue Jr . in the men ’ s high jump ( 2.09m ) and Benigno Marayag in the men ’ s long jump ( 7.09m ).
Former SEA Games gold medalist Rosie Villarito fell short in the women ’ s javelin throw , finishing fifth with a 44.18-meter while Narcisa Atienza also failed to post a podium finish in three events ( fifth in women ’ s high jump , 1.65m ; sixth
. in 100m hurdles , 15.69 seconds ; and sixth in shot put , 11.69m ).( E . Noguera , MT )
champion , Christoper Ulboc ( 3000 steeple ), Trent Beram ( 400 ), Harry Diones ( triple jump ), Mervin Guarte ( 800 ), Patrick Unso ( low hurdles ) and Marestella Torres ( long jump ). ( N . Giongco , mb ) .