The Philippines captured two medals on Day 8 of the 2022 Asian Games capped by Olympic bronze medalist Eumir Marcial, who scored a technical knockout win in the quarterfinals of the men’s light heavyweight division in boxing on Sunday night in Hangzhou.
Marcial, who absorbed a standing eight count and losing the first round against Weerapon Jongjoho, denied any opinion from the judges as he countered with a right hook haymaker during Jongjoho’s flurry to floor the Thai giant in the 2:46 mark of the second round.
As the Thai was obviously dazed, the referee ultimately waved off the fight as Marcial is assured of a medal of any color as he advances to his semifinal bout versus Ahmad Ghousoon of Syria, who earlier survived a three-rounder against Tajikistan’s Shabbos Negmatulloev on Wednesday.
In men’s cycling, 21-year-old Bren Coo captured the country’s seventh bronze medal and became the Philippines’ new BMX hero, placing third in the final at 39.076 seconds, behind gold medalist Asuma Nakai of Japan and runner-up Komet Sukprasert.
With this feat, Coo has won the Philippines’s third straight Asiad BMX medal after Olympian Daniel Caluag won gold in 2014 and bronze in 2018.
The 36-year-old Caluag placed sixth on his third Asiad final.
As Philippine teams in softball, women’s football, baseball, and women’s basketball absorbed punishing from team Japan, the national men’s sepak takraw team vanquished the reigning silver medalists in the quadrant event in three sets, 21-18, 11-21, 21-19 in the Group B morning session.
It was two-in-row for the Filipinos in one of the country’s national games, nipping current ISTAF World Championship bronze medalists South Korea in the afternoon session, 21-17, 11-21, 21-12.
The group leaders composed of Jason Huerte, Mark Joseph Gonzales, Rheyjey Ortuoste, Ronsited Gabayeron, Jom Lerry Rafael, and Vince Alyson Torno has a chance of winning the Philippines first Asiad medal in sepak takraw if they win against India tomorrow.
In weightlifting, John Febuar Ceniza was just a kilogram shy of the bronze medal in the men’s 61 kg. division, lifting a total of 297 kilograms for fourth place.
North Korea’s Kim Chungguk overtook the two-time SEA Games silver medalist with a final clean and jerk lift of 171 kg.
World champion Li Fabin of China managed to win the gold medal on his first clean and jerk lift despite failing his second and third lifts with 310 kg in total.
Kim’s compatriot Pak Myong-jin settled for silver medal with 307 kg. after failing to lift 175 kg. on his final clean and jerk attempt.
Nonetheless, Cen2018 made a Philippine record of 134 kg. in snatch, which brought him to medal contention despite being seeded fifth.
The Philippines currently has one gold, one silver, and seven bronze medals for 19th place overall.
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