KUALA LUMPUR—The boxers delivered as expected but the real surprise for Team Philippines were the lawn bowl athletes midway into the 29th Southeast Asian Games.
Filipino-British newcomer Marvin John Tupas announced his arrival in style while Eumir Felix Marcial affirmed his status as one of the region’s heaviest puncher as they clinched the gold medal in their respective weight classes Thursday at the Malaysia International Trade and Convention Center here.
Tupas didn’t waste precious time as he landed a big right straight right into the face of Adli Hafidz Bin Mohd Pauzi of Malaysia in the first eight seconds before unloading a barrage of body punches with more than two minutes left to win the gold medal in the light heavyweight class via a stoppage in just 21 seconds.
“I didn’t expect the fight to end this soon,” said Tupas, a member of the British army who is seeing action for the Philippines for the first time after walking-in to express his intention to don the national colors. “It was so good to win my first gold medal for the country.”
Prior to that speedy stoppage, Marcial worked hard for three rounds before securing a unanimous decision victory over Pathomsak Kuttiya of Thailand in the middleweight class.
Despite being bothered by a painful left hand, Marcial poured everything he had to outbox the Thai and clinch his first gold medal since ruling the welterweight class in the Singapore SEA Games in 2007.
“I really wanted to knock him out to avenge the setback of Carlo (Paalam) and Ian Clark (Bautista),” said Marcial in Filipino. “But I couldn’t punch with my left hand. I just tried to fight the pain because boxing is our life.”
The two-gold medal finish is quite an achievement for vaunted Philippine boxing squad, especially since the organizers limited the number of events and made some questionable calls.
Falling by the wayside was Paalam, while Olympian Charly Suarez and Bautista settled for bronze medals in the light flyweight and flyweight, respectively, and Mario Fernandez claimed the silver following a sorry setback to Chatchai Butdee of Thailand in the bantamweight class.
But if hopes were high on the boxers, another gold medalist in the national lawn bowls squad made heads turn upon their return to the biennial conclave.
After missing the past four editions of the SEA Games, the country’s lawn bowls; squad pulled off a shocker as it won the gold medal in men’s fours event.
The quartet of Emmanuel Protacio, Ronald Lising, Leoncio Carreon and Cuarte Robert Guari edged heavyweight Malaysia, 16-14, in the finals to clinch the gold medal in their its first SEA Games action since 2007.
Composed of Zulhimie Redzuan, Izzat Shameer Dzulkeple, Safuan Said and Daeng Dhadry Dahasry, the home team was no match to the Filipinos’ accuracy and precision.
The Thais settled for the bronze.
Also adding to the country’s golden harvest late Wednesday were Trenten Berram and Aries Toledo, who ruled the men’s 200-meter run and men’s decathlon, respectively.
Beram will shoot for his second gold medal when he competes in the finals of the men’s 400-meter run later in the day.
Aside from Beram, also seeing action are veteran Narcisa Atienza, who began her campaign in the women’s heptathlon, while Janry Ubas and Fil-Am Tyler Ruiz were to contest the gold in the long jump at 8 p.m.
On Friday, former SEA Games long jump queen and Rio Olympic veteran Marestella Sunang-Torres will see action with Kay Santos in the long jump while Melvin Calano was slated to compete in the men’s javelin throw.
Eric Shawn Cray will be seeking to bounce back from his close loss in the men’s 100-meter dash last Tuesday when he anchors the Philippine squad in the men’s 4×100-meter relays at 4:20 p.m.
Kayla Richardson, who had a forgettable outing in the women’s 200-meter run last Wednesday, will seek redemption when she spearheads the Nationals in the women’s 4×100-meter relays at 4:10 p.m.