IN 1995, Cintamoni Dela Cruz ruled the uneven bars of the Southeast Asian Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Twenty-two years later, she finds herself in another gold medal awarding rites in the SEA Games, but this time, the gold is slung around the neck of her daughter, Kaitlin, who won the gold in the same event she dominated years ago.
Kaitlin and Reyland Yuson Capellan carried Team Philippine in Day 4 after collecting gold medals yesterday in the SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur.
Continuing the legacy of her mother in womens’ gymnastics, US-based Kaitlin pocketed the gold in the uneven bars category on Tuesday at the Malaysia Trade and Exhibition Center in Kuala Lumpur.
The 17-year-old senior at Epic Charter Home School in Texas came up with the best score of 12.875 points in upstaging host Malaysia’s Tracy Ang, who settled for silver with a tally of 12.550, and eventual bronze medalist Rifda I. (12.075) of Indonesia.
Kaitlin is the daughter of the Cintamoni, who represented the Philippine team during her teens. Cintamoni was the uneven bars champion in the 1995 Chiang Mai SEA Games and part of the gold-medal winner in team events in the Jakarta 1997 SEA Games.
Capellan, on the other hand,successfully defended his SEA Games gold in the Men's Floor Exercise.
Meanwhile, in fencing, the Filipinos pulled off a 1-2 finish after Wayne Brennan took the gold after defeating teammate Nathaniel Perez in the final of the men's individual foil.
Hanniel Abella won the silver, while Harlene Raguin won a bronze in the women’s individual epee.
Another gold medal came from Agatha Wong, who won the women's Tai Quan event of the Wushu competition.
One of the events the Philippine Team pins its hopes on is the boxing competition with five gold medals in the last SEA GAmes.. However, yesterday, only three of five fighters made it to the finals.
Two-time champion Mario Fernandez inched closer to an unprecedented three-peat as he outclassed Nat Siek Nin of Cambodia to reach the bantamweight finals in men’s boxing competition of the 29th Southeast Asian Games Tuesday at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibit Center here.
Eumir Felix Marcial also made it to the finals of the middleweight division with a one-punch technical knockout of Indran AVL Rama Khrisnan of Malaysia as well as Filipino-British Marvin John Nobel Tupas, who had to survive a hard-fighting Anavat Thongkrathok of Thailand for a unanimous decision.
Ian Clark Bautista and Charly Suarez lost in their semis matches.
The Philippines Men’s and Women’s football squads suffered yet another defeat in the 2017 Southeast Asian Games.
The Azkals are out of contention after bowing to Thailand, 2-0, at the MP Selayang Stadium.
The Philippines was in a win-or-go home situation against Thailand and the Thais knew the importance of the match, scoring two goals in the first half. Montree Promsawat scored the opener in the 28th minute, while Sittichok Kannoo hit the back if the net in stoppage time just before the end of the forst half.
The Philippines dropped its third straight loss following a hot start with a 2-0 win over Cambodia in Group B. The Azkals takes on Timor Leste in its final group match tomorrow afternoon at the UM Arena.
The Malditas, on the other hand, suffered a 6-0 beating from Myanmar at the UM Arena, losing its second straight match.
Myanmar quickly went to work and was up ahead by four goals in less than 20 minutes of action.
Khin Moe Wai struck in the fourth minute, followed by a goal by Win Theingi Tun two minutes later. Yee Yee Oo scored in the 18th minute , before Naw Arlo Wer Phaw hit the back of the net a minute later. (EKA, MCB/With PSC)