MANILA — Jean Claude Saclag captured the Philippines’ first silver medal of the 20th Asian Games on Tuesday, leading another productive day for the national delegation that also saw the men’s football team snap a 68-year wait for an Asian Games victory.
Saclag fell short of the country’s first gold medal after bowing to Tajikistan’s Otabek Rajabov, 3-0, in the gold-medal bout of the men’s traditional -65-kilogram division at the Nagoya City Inae Sports Center in Nagoya, Japan.
Still, the Kalinga-born fighter’s runner-up finish gave the Philippines its first silver of the Games and its second medal in mixed martial arts.
Carlos Alvarez earlier secured a bronze medal in the men’s traditional -77kg division on Monday.
The Philippine delegation also added a bronze medal in women’s kata as Samantha Emmanuelle Veguillas, Ysabielle Arrogante and Rebecca Cyril Torres defeated Thailand, 4-1, in the bronze-medal match.
The Philippine trio received scores of 7.8, 7.7, 7.9, 8.7 and 8.1 against Thailand’s 7.6, 7.5, 7.7, 8.5 and 8.3, winning four of the five judges’ decisions to secure a podium finish.
Alwyn Batican, meanwhile, missed a bronze medal in the men’s -75kg kumite after suffering a 10-1 defeat to Kazakhstan’s representative.
The Philippines also celebrated a breakthrough in men’s football as the U23 national team closed its campaign with a 2-1 victory over Kuwait — the country’s first Asian Games men’s football win since the 1958 Tokyo Games.
Santiago Rublico put the Philippines ahead in the 19th minute before Kuwait equalized through an own goal by Scott Woods.
Andres Aldeguer later converted a penalty to restore the Filipino side’s advantage and seal the historic victory.
In basketball, the Gilas Pilipinas Women’s 3×3 team made an impressive start by defeating Mongolia, 17-12, before routing Macau, 21-4.
UAAP standout Kacey Dela Rosa spearheaded the Philippines’ inside attack, while Amyah Espanol, Maria Pasilang and Kennan Ka also contributed to the twin victories.
The Gilas Pilipinas Women’s 5×5 team, however, absorbed an 89-67 loss to host Japan to close the group stage.
Despite the setback, the Philippines advanced to the quarterfinals of the women’s basketball tournament.
In boxing, Olympic bronze medalist Aira Villegas bowed out in the preliminary round of the women’s -51kg division following a unanimous-decision loss to India’s Sakshi./PN
