SEA Games: PH wins 3 more bronzes as Singapore, Vietnam rule swimming

NEW CLARK CITY — The Philippine men’s relay team salvaged a silver against the Joseph Schooling-powered Singapore Friday night in the 30th Southeast Asian Games swimming here.

Luke Gebbie, Jean-Pierre Khouzam, Maurice Sacho Ilustre and Jarod Hatch reset the Philippine record in finishing second to Singapore in the men’s 4X 100-meter freestyle.

They clocked 3:22.32, improving the PH mark in 2009 SEA Games (3:24.35).

That, however, was way slower compared to the Singapore cruisers who timed 3:16.02, which is established as new SEA Games standard. They bettered their own 2017 record of 3:17.82.

Vietnam finished third clocking 3:22.46.

Amid the Singapore Vietnam romps, the Philippines also salvaged two bronze medals.

Remedy Rule and Chloe Kennedy Isleta settled for third place in their respective events as Singapore and Vietnam split the day’s golds on offer.

Rule picked up her third medal, a bronze in the women’s 200-meter freestyle. The 23-year-old from Texas had earlier had a silver in 200m butterfly and a bronze in 4X200m free relay.

Twenty-one-year-old Isleta, a standout from Arizona State University, placed third in women’s 200m backstroke.

Both their events were ruled by Vietnam’s Asian Games champ and Olympian Nguyen Thi Anh Vien.

Singapore has been lording over swimming competitions here at NCC Aquatics Center with 12 golds medals after three days.

Olympic champion Joseph Schooling claimed his second and third gold medal in ruling the men’s 100m fly and leading the relay team.

Vietnam currently has seven victories, two coming from the 23-year-old Nguyen.

https://sports.inquirer.net/377418/sea-games-ph-win-3-more-bronzes-as-singapore-vietnam-rule-swimming

Gretchen Ho calls for continued support for athletes after SEA Games

With Filipino athletes scoring medals left and right at the SEA Games, Pinoy pride is on a high—and Gretchen Ho hopes that supporting local athletes does not end with the multi-sport event.

The TV host and former volleyball player tweeted yesterday, Dec. 5, that she hopes inspiring stories in the world of sports, as well as sponsorship of athletes, will continue even after the SEA Games.

“High morale ang lahat ngayon dahil sa #SEAGames2019. Sana ituloy natin yung ganitong pagpapahalaga sa mga atleta,” she said.

(Everyone has high morale because of the #SEAGames 2019. I hope we will continue to give this much importance to our athletes.)

She also stressed that support has to be given to those in the grassroots rather than only famous players.

Ang daming magagandang kwento ang mahuhugot mula sa mundo ng sports. Sana kahit pagkatapos ng #SEAGames2019, tuloy tuloy pa rin ang pagbabahagi natin ng mga ito 😊

— Gretchen Ho (@gretchenho) December 5, 2019

Ho pointed out that the problem in sports is politics and corruption. Despite that, she said many see change happening and that younger athletes are standing up for their sports.

“Patuloy lang tayo, Pilipinas (Let’s keep this up, Philippines),” she said.

Ho herself is rallying behind the growth of beach volleyball in the country as a co-founder of Beach Volleyball Republic. The group aims to promote beach volleyball and organize tournaments around the country.  /ra

https://sports.inquirer.net/377253/gretchen-ho-calls-for-continued-support-of-athletes-after-sea-games

Swimming star Joseph Schooling has soft spot for Filipinos

Gold medalist Singapore’s Tzen Wei Teong, center, poses with silver medalist Singapore’s Joseph Schooling, left, and bronze medalist Indonesia Glenn Sutanto, right, during awarding ceremonies for the men’s 50m butterfly final during swimming competition at the 30th Southeast Asian Games in New Clark City, Tarlac province, northern Philippines on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)

NEW CLARK CITY — Classes have started and Joseph Schooling has the floor, err, the pool.

An Olympic gold medal winner who pulled off the trick in Rio de Janeiro at the expense of the legendary Michael Phelps, Schooling towed the Singapore squad to the 4X200-meter freestyle gold in record style late Wednesday and dazzled local swimming fans in closing out the day’s activities at NCC Aquatics Center here.

“I’m very pleased to come to the Philippines to swim. It’s a beautiful pool, the crowd is amazing, very fun to come here for the first time,” said Schooling after the awarding ceremony where he was swarmed by the media.

More than the venue and the crowd, Schooling has a soft spot for Filipinos because his nanny, whom he fondly calls Auntie Yolly, is a native of Cagayan Province.

“She has been with us since I was four months old, I hope she was here to watch me swim, but she’s at home,” said Schooling. “But I know she’s watching me on TV.”

The Singaporeans, also made up of Quah Zheng Wen, Jonathan Tan and Darren Chua, registered a new meet record by clocking seven minutes and 17.88 seconds.

Schooling, three-time Asian Games champ and 23-time SEA Games gold winner, is hoping to qualify for the 100-meter free and 100m fly events in the Tokyo Olympics next year.

“It’s all about baby steps and I just need to focus on one event at a time. Good event, take away from it. Bad event, just brush it aside and move forward to the next time,” he added.

And he hopes this weekend, where he will see action in five more events, would help prepare him for the big stage.

In the meantime, the rest of the field can all watch and learn something.

https://sports.inquirer.net/377198/swimming-star-joseph-schooling-has-soft-spot-for-filipinos