It was a golden day for Philippine sports as veteran grappler Meggie Ochoa finally won an Asian Games gold medal on top of her two world titles, five continental crowns, and a SEA Games gold as she nipped UAE’s Balqees Abdulla in the women’s 49 kg. division via advantage Thursday on Day 14 of the 2022 Asian Games.
The 33-year-old veteran mounted Abdulla at the very first instance and held a leg lock for most of the tussle, effectively fending off an omoplata attempt by the Emirati in a very tactical final.
Ochoa’s second Asiad stint was a charm for she previously won only a bronze medal in the 2018 edition in Jakarta.
Boxer Eumir Marcial, though, was not as fortunate as Ochoa as the reigning Olympic and Asiad bronze medalist in middleweight boxing was not favored by all five judges in the third round of the men’s light heavyweight final against Chinese Tuohetaerbieke Tanglatihan.
Marcial, a natural middleweight, landed the heavier blows in the first round on the Chinese-Kazakh big man, earning a standing eight count and all the judges’ favor.
The tide, however, leveled in round to as Tanglatihan scored his own standing eight count.
At level 19 coming to the third round, Marcial seemingly displayed more activity and aggression but the judges favored the counter-punching of Tanglatihan, issuing a 29-28 unanimous decision verdict for the Chinese.
Despite the loss, Marcial still earned an outright Olympic ticket in Paris in 2024,
In karate, Sakura Alforte helped the Philippines a 1-2-3 finish for the day, winning the bronze medal match in the women’s individual kata, 41.9-41.3, against Taiwan’s Chien Hui-Hsian.
The 21-year-old earned the battle for third berth after placing third during the pool stage.
The men’s sepak takraw team likewise earned a guaranteed medal for the country, sweeping their opening day matches in the regu (3v3) contest, beating Myanmar 21-17, 21-9) and India (23-21, 21-17) in straight sets for an automatic semifinal slot.
This is the team’s second medal in the Asiad after winning the country’s first in the sport locally known as sipa—a bronze in the quadrant (4v4) event.
The regu team is composed of Jason Huerte, Mark Joseph Gonzales, Rheyjhey Ortuoste, Ronsited Gabayeron, and Jom Lerry Rafael.
Missing the podium is Ochoa’s jujitsu teammate Marc Alexander Lim, who dropped his bronze medal match of the men’s 62 kg. weight class, 2-6, against Mansur Khabibulla of Kazakhstan.
Khabibulla scored on three sweeps while Lim afforded only one. Be that as it may, Lim vastly improved on his second Asiad stint after suffering a first round exit in 2018.
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