RIFFA, Bahrain — The Philippines endured a day of heartbreaks at the Asian Youth Games, coming agonizingly close to the podium in several events but falling short each time.
Alas Pilipinas and several jiujitsu fighters finished fourth in their respective events, narrowly missing out on medals.
The scoreboard showed a sweep, though the match was anything but one-sided, as Thailand edged out the Philippines in the bronze medal match, 26-24, 25-20, 26-24, on Wednesday night.
Rhose Almendralejo had a match-high 15 points to lead the Philippines, while Harlyn Serneche and Samantha Cantada had eight points each.
Natthawan Phatthaisong scored 13, Sasithorn Jatta added 12, Nattharika Wasan came up with 11 points, and Wisaruta Sengna chipped in 10 for Thailand, which completed the win in one hour and 29 minutes.
Jai Adrao, who had five points including two blocks, said the team struggled to close out sets despite staying competitive throughout.
“As we can see po, didikit po kami kaso sa bandang huli, ulit ulit po nangyari yung situation na bumibitaw po kami. So siguro po doon po lumabas yung sinasabi nila coach na palinisan na lang daw po ng galaw,” Adrao said. “Nakikita yung mga lapses po namin and yung mga errors po namin, lumalabas na rin po sa huli,” she added.
Still, Adrao said the team remained proud of their effort and grateful for the opportunity to compete.
“Syempre po sobrang thankful po kasi yung experience po na ito, hindi po lahat makaka-experience po ng ganitong experience. Sa akin po grateful po ako sa PNVF, sa PSC, and sa POC, and syempre po sa management ng National University kasi pinaghandaan din po namin itong league po na to, and syempre sa mga teammates ko and kay Lord kasi sabay sabay po namin trinabaho to. “Kahit nabitin po kami, lumaban pa rin po kami.”
Adrao also expressed her gratitude to the Filipino fans, whose support lifted the team’s spirits.
“Syempre po parang na-feel po namin na kahit nasa ibang bansa, parang home pa rin po. Sobrang dami po na Filipino na sumusuporta sa amin and nagme-message, lalo na po pag may times na talo kami, nandiyan din po sila naka-suporta, manalo o matalo po, sumusuporta po sila sa amin.”
Tough Run
Podium places also proved elusive for the Philippines in jiujitsu at Exhibition World Bahrain in Sakhir.
Adam Fernani of Saudi Arabia beat Zeus in the battle for bronze by submission with one minute and 19 seconds left in the boys’ -85kg class.
Babanto earlier beat Kuwait’s Dhari Alfouzan, 3-0.
The Philippines’ Sachi Khonghun also fell short of a podium spot, getting edged out by Mongolia’s Munkhjin Batbold, 3-0, in the girls’ -52kg bronze medal match.
Jin Gabriel Ong also dropped his bronze medal match to Kyrgyzstan’s Abdusomad Thnchtyk Tynchtykbekov in the boys’ -56kg division.
In cycling at the Nasser bin Hamad loop south of Zallaq, CJ Cabrejos of the Philippines was part of the main group that finished 21 seconds off the winner in the boys’ road race.
Lee Wan Chun of Hong Kong won the 99.6-kilometer race in two hours, 23 minutes and 54 seconds, edging out Thailand’s Kittaphat Homkajorn, who submitted the same time.
Taha Alkhalifah of Saudi Arabia claimed the bronze, crossing the finish line 10 seconds off.
Cabrejos was part of the seven-man group that clocked 2:24:15, the Filipino ending up 12th on the leaderboard, while Carl Laurence Espinosa and Joelian Abdul Hamid did not finish.
