Jamie Lim salvaged a bronze in the women’s individual kumite minus-61 kg after a win over Malaysia’s Murugeesan Mathivani, 1-0, in the bronze medal match on the first day of the 31st Southeast Asian Games karate competitions, Wednesday at the Ninh Binh Gymnasium in Ninh Binh, Vietnam.
The erstwhile defending champion lost to Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Ngoan, 2-7, in the second round to be relegated into the repechage. Lim earlier dominated Laos’ Sirimoungkhoune Sirivimon, 6-3, in the first round.
Kata artists Rebecca Cyril Torres and Joco Vasquez also bagged the bronze medals in the women’s and men’s individual events, respectively.
Torres bagged the bronze after taking down another Malaysian in Lovelly Anne Robberrth, 24.28-23.34, in the first of the bronze medal matches, while Vasquez captured yet another bronze with a win over Laos’ Southided Soulisay, 24.6-22.34.
Jason Macaalay rounded up the day’s medalists with yet another bronze in the men’s minus-60 individual kumite, winning 1-0 over Thailand’s Siwakon Muekthong.
It was a meager harvest than expected for Philippine karate’s campaign for the day that also included Premier 1 champion Junna Tsukii.
Tsukii ended her only match of the Games tied with Vietnam’s Dinh Thi Huong at 3-3 in the first round, but it was the hometown bet that was given the passage into the following round.
John Matthew Manantan also lost his bronze medal match in the men’s minus-67 individual kumite, 3-6, to another Vietnamese Dang Hong Son.
