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Wushu Fighter Catalan: 4th Doha Asiad Gold Medallist

DOHA, Qatar - Four-time world champion Rene
Catalan handed the Philippines its fourth gold medal Thursday on the
penultimate day of the 15th Asian Games.

Catalan, a 27-year-old former boxer from Iloilo, connected with two
left straight smack on the face of the game Vietnamese Phan Quoc Vinh
and sent him into the canvas twice to dominate the first round.

Phan
made a gallant effort in the second, but Catalan was too crafty and
experienced for the taller Vietnamese who again kissed the mat.

The Filipino won each round by 5-0 scores.

"Medyo nahirapan din ako sa kanya," said Catalan, in a radio interview. "Siya kasi yung pinakamalakas sa mga nakalaban ko."

Catalan, undefeated since 2003, was heavily favoured to win the
52-kilogram bout and he did not disappoint a wildly-cheering crowd that
included the country's top sports officials.

"Our participation here was very meaningful," Wushu Federation of the Philippines president Julian Camacho lamented.

Another wushu fighter, Eduard Folayang, fell to Xu Yanfei of China in the -70 kilogram final and settled for the silver.

"Binago ko yung strategy ko sa kanya," noted Folayang about his match. "Siguro hindi para sa akin ang laban na ito."

In the men's nanquan earlier , Pedro Quina and Willy Wang finished seventh and ninth with 9.66 and 9.62 points, respectively.

China, as expected, won the event through Wu Caibao who garnered 9.85 points.

*****

The gold improved the Philippines medal tally to four golds, six
silvers and nine bronzes which will go down as the best ever showing
since 1978 when it won four golds, four silvers and six bronzes.

In the history of its Asian Games participation, this year's haul so far is ranked fifth best.

The Filipinos made their best showing at home in 1954 when they harvested 14 golds, 14 silvers and 17 bronzes.

SOURCE: RPSports.com

Tipon Bags 3rd Gold

Photo courtesy of RPSports.com

Bantamweight Joel Tipon bagged the 3rd gold medal of the Philippines, tying the gold medal haul last Busan Asian Games.

The 24 year old Asian champion won against a tall and speedy Korean at the score of 21-10.

Two more golds are at stake for our Wushu (Sanshou event) delegation.
If that 2 golds are won, the POC and PSC's target for this Doha Asian Games of 5 golds this year are successfully met.

Currently, the Philippines is now at 18th place with 3 golds, 5 silvers and 9 bronzes (17 medals).

Philippines’ Most Popular Google Queries

Philippines - Most Popular Queries: October 2006

SOURCE: Google Press Center: Zeitgeist

These are the popular Google queries from the Philippines.

I was surprised that Anime was leading the pack next to video games and MMOG's.

Celebrities are only dead last.

Gaga finally gets gold; Payla ends Asiad boxing gold drought

by Reuben Ezra Terrado

Antonio “Gaga” Gabica found redemption to his loss in the men’s
eight-ball finals by claiming the nine-ball gold, the first by the
Philippines in the Doha Asian Games, against compatriot Jeff De Luna,
11-7, in the 15th Asian Games cue sports competition at the Al Saad
Multi Purpose Hall.

The 34-year-old Gabica raced to an early 4-1 lead into a 10-4 advantage, which was too deep for De Luna to overcome.

The win gave the country its first gold medal after Gabica suffered
a heartbreaking loss in the finals of the men’s eight-ball singles two
days ago.

But Gabica used that defeat more as an inspiration on his way to the win.

“I am more confident because I won silver in the eight-ball
singles,” said Gabica in the Games’ official website. “When I lost the
final, I totally forgot about the game and focused on the 9 ball event.”

“I’d like thank the Filipinos here. We felt their support. When I go
back to the Philippines I will celebrate with my family,” Gabica added.

For the 22-year-old De Luna, it was still a fitting end to his 2006
campaign, a resume that includes placing third in the BSCP National
Open and a semifinal stint in the World Pool Championships.

After De Luna scored the initial point, Gabica took advantage of the early blunders by De Luna leading into a 4-1 start.

The match became out of hand when a four-to-nine combo by Gabica made it 7-2.

De Luna countered and scored a four-to-nine quick win of his own to close in at 7-4.

But the young De Luna incurred several miscues including a foul when
his clothing grazed a ball, which led to Gabica scoring three straight
racks for a 10-4 score.

Never giving up, De Luna mustered a comeback creating three straight
points of his own including the 17th where a battle of safeties
directed De Luna into a 10-7 mark.

That was the last time De Luna gained a point when he muffed a
three-to-nine combination paving the way for a sport-game in favor of
Gabica.

Gabica had a relatively easy time on his way to the final beating Jeoung Young Hwa of Korea, 11-5 in the semis.

De Luna beat Chinese Taipei’s Yang Ching Shun, 11-7, in the semifinals setting up an All-Filipino match-up.

Meanwhile, Iris Ranola came close to bagging a bronze medal when she
was defeated by Pan Xiaoting of China, 7-6, in a hill-to-hill game.

*****

DOHA, Qatar – Flyweight Violito Payla overwhelmed former world
champion Somjit Jongjohor of Thailand Tuesday to win the country’s
second gold medal in the 15th Asian Games.

Before a raucous crowd at the Aspire boxing hall, Payla offset
Jongjohor’s reach advantage with his quickness and agility as he
handily won the bout, 31-15.

There was little drama and excitement as Payla took control in the second round after trailing, 3-4, in the first round.

The 32-year-old Thai, who has beaten Payla thrice, appeared slow and was breathing hard at the end of the four-round bout.

Payla, 27, thus ended a 12-year gold medal drought in boxing with a
performance worthy of an Olympian. The quiet, unassuming boxer, who
bucked a sprained wrist to win five bouts, has yet to see action in the
Olympiad.

“I am looking to getting the gold in the Olympics for the
Philippines. I want to dedicate this honor to the Filipino who stayed
up late at night to watch my bouts,” Payla said.

Payla said he has improved a lot since his three defeats to Jongjohor. “This is my sweetest victory,” he said.

Jongjohor admitted he did not prepare enough. “But the game turned
around because of the judge. I think he pressed his button according to
the people around the ring,” the Thai claimed.

The victory brought to two the number of gold medals won by the Philippines with another boxer aiming for a third Wednesday.

Former Asian champion Joan Tipon, who outdueled Thai favourite Worapoj Pethckoom Monday, takes on Korean Han Soon Chul.

Tipon took it easy Tuesday after some oval run in the morning.

SOURCE: RPSports.com

*****

With three days to go, the Filipinos have so far won 2 golds, 4 silvers and 9 bronzes, including two in tennis Tuesday.

Hunt For Asiad Gold Is On

The female taekwondo jins Veronica Domingo and Kathleen Eunice Alora gave the first 2 bronze medals of the Philippines.

At last, nasa medal board na rin!

Still, the jins Mary
Antoinette Rivero and Tshomlee Go clinched our first silver medals just recently . They just fell short with the Koreans, the locals of where the Taekwondo sport originated. Manuel Rivero, Toni's brother, got finished with a bronze.

Meanwhile, David Donald Geisler, the most veteran and former Olympian fell short
in his first fight. Juan Paul Lizardo AKA Japoy won his finweight match
then losing the next, which resulted to elimination in the Korean-less weight category.

*****

Photo courtesy of RPSports.com

Last Thursday, Violito Payla (pronounced by the foreigners as Vayolito Peyla) was assured of bronze medal after defeating Jitender Kumar of India,
referee outclassed decision, 27-7.

Amateur boxing afficionados isn't new to this guy. He just held an Asian Gold at Busan 2 years ago.
His next stop is a fast Chinese. If he wins, sure silver and in the
finals for the eventual first gold of RP. If he losses, earns the
bronze.

Today, he just added another sure silver by beating the speedy Bo Yang of China. I've watched Bo Yang beat the former Korean champion and he sure is tough for Payla. Hence, Payla beated him in referee stop contest, the hunt for Asiad gold is on.

SOURCE: http://www.rpsports.com/blogs/ag/2006/12/payla_assures_rps_first_medal.html

Reports
from Sports Radio 918 stated that Payla went into the bout wearing a
uniform also to be used by his teammate Marcial. After the bout, he
rushed to give it to Marcial for his upcoming fight.

Kawawa naman ang Pilipinas.

Anyway, Marcial lost and ended his medal hunt.

Antonio Gabica also fell short for a gold in billiards, and settled for a silver. He was leading 7-5 but still, lost in the score of 9-7 in the hands of a Japanese.

*****

What's happening to Team Pilipinas?

India had golds in Shooting, Billiards and Kabbadi. Thailand in Billiards and
Sepak Takraw. Syria in Swimming and Weightlifting. Mongolia in Chess.
Jordan in Taekwondo. Saudi Arabia in Bowling. Malaysia in Bowling.

And us, the sports they already won in golds are the sports that we are
capable of winning. The small and unranked countries frustrated us.

Tac Padilla isn't in aim yet and for a time, he didn't competed a
match for somewhat reason. Our cue artists, which is world class and
very popular in cue world are scratching their way to losses (However,
if Efren "Bata" Reyes and Django Bustamante were there, they could make
a big difference), US-trained Miguel Molina and the swimming team is
just falling short for a medal placing 4th and 5th places, Ronald
Dableo shocked Spuer GM Utut Adianto but still fell short for a medal
(the first GM of Asia Eugene Torre, Mark Paragua and Joey Antonio declined due to the Asiad format). Bowling
delegation was a super team which is led by the legendary Paeng
Nepomuceno with young bemedalled guns in different bowling tourneys,
Liza Clutario, Chester King, Ma. Cecilia Yap, Markwin Tee, etc. are
falling short for the medal (despite 2 pins short for a perfect game
from Paeng).

I hope we could salvage even a single gold.