MANILA – Eleven-year-old Mazel Paris Alegado delivered one of the Philippines’ brightest moments in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games after ruling the women’s park finals in extreme skateboarding on Saturday night at the Sports Authority of Thailand complex.
Alegado, a California-based skater, topped the field of 10 competitors with a winning score of 79.72 to claim the gold medal and emerge as one of the youngest champions of the biennial meet.
Fellow Filipino and also 11 years old, Elizabeth Amador, completed a 1-2 finish for the Philippines after earning silver with a score of 72.03. Thailand’s Freya Santa settled for bronze with 64.13.
The Philippines continued to add to its medal haul across multiple sports on the same day. Jericho Francisco Jr. captured gold in the men’s park skateboarding event, while Chino Sy Tancontian dominated Indonesia’s Gede Ganding Kalbu Soethama to secure gold in the men’s -100kg judo division.
In athletics, Yacine Guermali and Sonny Wagdos finished second and third, respectively, in the men’s 5,000 meters.
Ilongga Joida Gagnao claimed bronze in the women’s 5,000 meters, while Zion Rose Nelson also placed third in the women’s 200 meters. William Morrison III added another bronze for the country in the men’s shot put.
Ilonggo Cyclist Patrick Coo picked up his second bronze medal of the Games after placing third in the men’s BMX racing event. Dave Cea also delivered a podium finish with a bronze medal in the men’s taekwondo -74kg kyorugi division.
In other events, swimmer Kayla Sanchez competed in the women’s 100-meter backstroke, while Ana Bhianca Espenilla secured bronze in the women’s javelin throw and set a personal-best mark of 51.66 meters.
Karateka Alwyn Batican earned bronze after defeating Deonisio Fernandes of Timor-Leste in the men’s kumite -75kg event.
Team sports also saw podium finishes for the Philippines, with the national cricket team settling for silver in the men’s T20 competition after losing to Malaysia in the final.
Judoka Viron Ferrer likewise claimed silver in the men’s -81kg division following his loss to Malaysia’s Abdul Majeed Amir Daniel. The Philippine chess team also finished with silver after bowing to host Thailand in the makruk mixed standard event.
The strong showing further boosted the Philippines’ medal tally as competition continued in the regional meet./PN
