Source: gmanews.tv
-- Battle-scarred Eduardo Buenavista proved he still has springs left on his legs, scoring a big win in the men’s marathon competition of the 25th Southeast Asian Games Tuesday at the National Sports Complex’s Main Stadium in Laos.
Joining Buenavista in the gold medal podium was Jho-An Banayag who ruled the women’s category in an amazing fashion, underscoring the Filipino tracksters’ impressive performance where they already harvested a total of five gold and three bronze medals so far.
The 31-year-old Buenavista clocked two hours, 21 minutes and 10.14 seconds while his closest pursuers, Yahuza of Indonesia and Hem Bunting of Cambodia, registered 2:21:56.12 and 2:25:19.68, respectively.
It was Buenavista’s first major win since placing fifth in the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon earlier this year, where he logged 2:22:53 to emerge as the top overall finisher among his possible Southeast Asian rivals.
“I know he (Buenavista) is in good shape, that’s why I'm expecting him to win a gold medal," Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association president Go Teng Kok said. "His victory in Hong Kong shows that he is ready for the SEA Games."
But it was Banayag who pulled a surprise.
After trailing for most part of the race, Banayag zoomed ahead just before they entered the stadium for the finish, leaving her Thai opponent, 33-year-old Sunisa Sailomyen, for good en route to her first SEA Games gold medal.
Banayag covered the distance in two hours, 46 minutes and 34 seconds against Sailomyen’s 2:46:47.
Ni Lar San of Myanmar clocked 2:46:54 to finish third in an eight-man event where another Filipina runner, Christabel Martes, wound up fifth with a 3:00:31.
The twin victories hiked the RP athletics team’s gold medal production to four, counting the mints won by hammer-thrower Arniel Ferrera, javelin thrower Rosie Villarito and steeplechase bet Rene Herrera on Monday.
Triple-jumper Joebrt Delicano, and 5,000-meter runners Julius Sermona and Mercedita Manipol-Fetalvero accounted for the tracksters' bronze.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
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