PHNOM PENH—Agatha Wong’s routine included a sword but it wasn’t how she handled the weapon that always catches the judges’ eyes—it’s her grace, poise and form.
Wong did what she does best in the Southeast Asian Games and won a wushu gold medal in women’s combined taijiquan and taijijian Friday at the Chroy Changvar Convention Center.
She amassed 19.263 points—9.580 in taijiquan and 9.683 in taijijian—to capture her fifth SEA Games gold medal.
Wong was back-to-back taijiquan champion in Malaysia 2017 and Philippines 2019 and bagged two consecutive taijijian crowns in 2019 and Vietnam 2021.
Cambodian organizers merged the two events into one but Wong still emerged triumphant despite setting a modest goal for herself.
“I didn’t expect to win because I’m also a med [Medical] student. I’m in my first year,” said Wong, who returned to school after graduating with a Diplomatic Affairs degree from the College of Saint Benilde in 2018.
“It’s not easy for me to balance my training and studies,” she said.
Wong finished third behind Malaysia’s Sydney Chin (19.196) and Brunei’s Basma Lachkar (19.160) after the taijiquan segment on Wednesday but surged ahead with a masterful showing in taijijian.
“If you set your goal, there’s always a way,” she said. “But I really love my sport.”
Wushu also delivered bronze medals in taolu through Sandrex Gainsan (men’s jianshu + qiangshu) and in sanda behind Carlos Baylon (men’s 56kg), Russel Diaz (men’s 52kg) and Jenifer Kilapio (women’s 48kg).
CATANTAN HURT, SETTLES FOR FENCING SILVER
Nicole Labayne, Jocelyn Ortiz Ninobla and Aidaine Krisha Laxa—captures the gold medal on Friday at Chroy Changvar Convention Center Phnom Penh. Malaysia clinched silver and Thailand bronze.
SAMANTHA CATANTAN injured her knee in the semifinals and settled for the silver medal when she could no longer fight on.
Catantan fell on the mat, moments after securing a point that sent her into the women’s foil finals.
A cartilage seemed to have popped behind the back of her left knee when she moved after she lunged at semifinals foe Kemei Chung of Singapore.
After a short rest, Catantan still found the courage to continue as she took the last two points to beat Chung, 15-6, and set up a return showdown with her last year’s opponent Maxine Wong, also of Singapore.
Sadly, Catantan never got to play a rematch with Wong, who eventually won the gold medal after the country’s top Filipina fencer conceded on advice of her coach and medical personnel, who told her to not make her injury any worse.
Catantan, with her knee wrapped in bandage, followed the advice, and no longer engaged Wong in what could have been an exciting finals’ rematch.
Catantan, who flew from the United States days before her matches, was in good shape when she swept her five-game assignment in the pool stage.
Philippine Fencing Association president Richard Gomez, who was in the crowd with Philippine Sports Commission board member Walter Torres, also a former SEA Games fencing champion, felt heartbroken on Catantan’s situation.
Christian Concepcion also fell out contention with Daniel Villanueva with his 1-4 slate in the men’s sabre group stage.
Image credits: Roy Domingo