Read this in The Manila Times digital edition.
(UPDATE) GARY Bejino set a new record in swimming to power Team Philippines to a four-gold medal haul in the 12th Asean Para Games on Sunday at the Morodok Techo Sports Complex Aquatics Center in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Bejino clocked 5:38.260 to rule the men’s 400 m freestyle S6 event, giving the Philippines its first gold in the biennial meet.
Gary Bejino APG POOL PHOTO
He sank the old mark of 6:07.99 set by Aung Myint Myat of Myanmar six years ago in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Aung Myint finished a distant second to Bejino with a time of 6:04.170.
Do Thanh Hai of Vietnam’s 6:14.280 was good for third place and the bronze medal.
Bejino’s compatriot Ernie Gawilan also won the gold in the men’s 400 m freestyle S7 with a time of 4:58.78.
“I am happy to deliver [a] gold medal for our country,” said Bejino, a Tabaco, Albay, native who will also compete in the 200 m, 100 m and 50 m freestyle, 50 m butterfly and 4×100 m medley relay where he and Gawilan lead the squad.
Cendy Asusano also secured another gold for the Philippines after ruling the women’s shot put F54 event.
Asusano’s teammate Marites Burce bagged the bronze medal.
The 33-year-old Asusano vowed to add two more golds — in javelin slated on Monday and discus throw on Wednesday — to his haul.
Powerlifter Marydol Pamati-an grabbed a gold and a silver in the women’s 41 kg class.
Pamati-an lifted a total of 216 kg to get gold, the Philippines’ fourth, and her best lift of 75 kg was good for a silver medal.
In chess at the Royal University, Sander Severino and his teammates continued to inch closer to gold as they led in three of the six classes in rapid.
Severino, who is out to equal or improve his quadruple-gold haul last time, drew with fellow FIDE Master Maksum Firdaus of Indonesia to share the lead in the men’s PI class with countryman Henry Lopez, a winner over teammate Jasper Rom, with 3.5 points apiece after four rounds in this six-round meet.
Also in gold contention were Cheyzer Crystal Mendoza, who leads the women’s PI division with 3.5 points, and Darry Bernardo, who won all his first four games including one over Indonesia’s Gayuh Satrio to jump to the top with a full one-point lead.
