POOLED REPORT FROM PSA

 

MEDAL TALLY
(As of 7 pm of Dec. 13, 2013)

Country                  Gold Silver Bronze Total
1. Myanmar               26    24      19      69
2. Vietnam                 22     9       19      50
3. Indonesia               19    24      17      60
4. Thailand                 16    23      15      54
5. Malaysia                   8      7      21      36
6. Singapore                 7      5      12      24
7. Cambodia                 4      6      11      21
8. Philippines                3      5        7      15
9. Laos                        2       5      14      21
10. Brunei                   1        0        2       3
11.Timor Leste             0       0        0       0

 

NAY PYI DAW – London Olympian Mark Anthony Barriga banners a sturdy group of Filipinos who advanced to the finals of the boxing competition of the 27th Southeast Asian Games Thursday at the Wunna Theikdi Indoor Stadium here.

Barriga, the country’s brightest bet to win the gold medal, survived Mohd Faud Mohd Reuvan of Malaysia via split decision in the light flyweight class, joining lady pugs Nesthy Petecio and Josie Gabuco in the finals on Saturday.

Also making it to the gold medal matches were bantamweight Mario Fernandez, lightweight Junel Cantancio, light welterweight Dennis Galvan and welterweight Wilfredo Lopez as they stayed on track of matching – or even surpassing – their four gold finish in the 2011 SEA Games.

Fernandez crushed Tran Quocc Viet of Vietnam, Cantancio prevailed over Muhamad Ridhawan Ahmad of Singapore, Galvan dominated Ericok Amonupunyo of Indonesia while Lopez frustrated Alex Tatantos of Indonesia. All of them won via unanimous decisions.

Crowding the Team Philippines for the sport’s title is Thailand, which sent nine boxers to the all-finals, with four of them ranged against Filipinos.

“It’s going to be another Philippines-Thailand series,” Picson said. “But again, I want to see total domination. I want our boxers to remove doubts on the minds of the judges. I want them to win convincingly in this very important tournament.”

Flyweight Rey Saludar was the lone Filipino casualty when he fell prey to hometown bet Mg Nge also via unanimous decision. It was a painful loss for the veteran Saludar, who had to settle for the bronze medal after winning the gold medal in the 2006 Doha and 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games.

‘It was a hometown decision,” said Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines executive president Ed Picson.

“I thought we should have won two fights – that of Saludar and (Irish) Magno (last Thursday). That’s why I want them to win convincingly, total domination from start to finish. We want to make it easier for the judges to give us the victory over our opponent.”

After huffing and puffing his way to a quarterfinal victory over Huynh Ngoc Tan of Vientam, Barriga showed up in a much better form, but had some minor lapses against his gritty Malaysian foe.

In the second round, he got elbowed in the head, somehow limiting his movements and reducing his fighting prowess. Although the wound bled after the match, it was nothing serious and Picson declared him fit and ready for the finals.

“He’s keeping his focus,” Picson said. “He’s ready to win the gold.”