HANGZHOU –The Philippine sepak takraw team lost its semifinal battle with Indonesia, 21-15, 24-25, 17-21, but still secured the bronze medal in the 19th Asian Games at the Jinhua Sports Centre Gymnasium here on Tuesday.
It was the first medal for sepak takraw in the games since the Philippines joined the sport in the 1998 edition in Bangkok, raising the Filipinos’ medal tally to 9 bronze medals, to go with a gold and silver at 20th spot.
Earlier, the men’s team composed of Jason Huerte, Rheyjey Ortouste, Vince Alyson Torno and Mark Joseph Gonzales and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, whipped Singapore in its final preliminary game, 21-8, 21-15, to assure itself of the historic medal.
Before the semis, the team which is coached by Rodolfo ‘Rudy’ Eco, lost only once to India, 16-21, 15-21, last Monday.
Only Huerte, 28, from Marikina, and Ortouste, have been left from the 10-player PH team that joined the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games.