Touted to finish at the podium in this year’s 29th Southeast Asian Games, the Philippine Men’s Sepaktakraw team clinched the nation’s first medal of the edition as they pocketed the silver in men’s chinlone linking at the Stadium Titiwangsa in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Wednesday afternoon.
John-John Bobier, Rhemwil Catana, Emmanuel Escote, Ronsited Gabayeron, Joeart Jumawan, John Carlo Lee, John Jeffrey Morcillos, Regie Pabriga, and Alvin Pangan were responsible for the delegation’s first medal of the Games.
The Nationals moved into the gold medal final against hosts Malaysia after placing second in the qualifying round with 293 points, trailing the latter, who amassed 376 in the said phase. Brunei Darussalam finished with 157 points and settled for the bronze.
In the finals, the Philippines collected 133 markers to Malaysia’s 197 after the first round. The latter then picked it up in the second and final round to end up with 391 points to get the Games’ first gold. The Filipinos finished with 291, which was good for silver.
This is the first time the country figured in chinlone, as it did not competed in the said discipline in 2013 in Naypyidaw and 2015 in Singapore. The squad will also compete in men’s chinlone non-repetition on Thursday at the same venue.
