Gymnast Kaitlin de Guzman captured the same event won by her mother 12 years ago, highlighting a four-gold medal romp by the Philippines Tuesday in the 29th Southeast Asian Games.

Reyland Capellan accounted for the other gold in gymnastics and the Filipinos picked up two more in fencing and wushu.

De Guzman, 17, who now lives in Rowlett, Texas, topped the uneven bars with a score of 12.875, easily besting Tracie Ang of Malaysia and Rifda Irfanaluthfi of Indonesia who earned 12.550 and 12.075, respectively.

Kaitlin was only five years old when her mother, Cintamoni, took the gold during the 1995 SEA Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Showing supreme confidence, De Guzman went through her routine flawlessly, capping it with a perfect dismount.

Capellan, competing in the men’s floor exercise he dominated in 2015, was also impeccable, earning 13.95 to relegate Zul Asri of Malaysia and Tiklimporn Surintornta of Thailand in second and third, respectively.

“Nakita ko po yung Malaysian na nauna sa akin, sabi ko mataas ang score, pero nag-focus ako sa routine ko,” said the 24-year-old high school dropout from Rizal.

On Wednesday, the seven-year national team mainstay seeks a second gold in the men’s vault where he won the bronze in 2015.

The second day of fencing competition produced gold, two silvers and bronze with Wayne Brennan beating compatriot Nathaniel Perez in the all-Filipino individual foil final.

A silver and bronze came in the women’s individual epee.

Hanniel Abella edged teammate Harlene Raguin in the semi-finals, but went down to a Vietnamese opponent to settle for the silver. Raguin picked up the bronze.

In wushu, Agatha Wong followed up her silver medal finish Monday with gold in the women’s taijiquan.

Wong, a 19-year-old graduating student at College of St. Benilde, earned 9.66 for her impressive performance.

Two boxers settled for bronze medals after losing in the semifinals, namely: light welterweight Charly Suarez and flyweight Ian Clark Bautista.

The other bronze medallists were Richard Gonzales who placed third in men’s singles of table tennis and OJ delos Santos in the men’s individual kata.

With more final events still to be played, the Philippines now has 7 golds, 7 silvers and 10 bronzes.

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by Rey Bancod

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