Arnel Mandal (right) gives the Philippines its first silver medal in the Asian Games.
—PSC-POC POOL
In an unexpected turn of events, Arnel Mandal emerged as the top performer among Filipino athletes at the 19th Asian Games (Asiad) in Hangzhou, China. Mandal, a wushu fighter, proudly brought home a silver medal in the men’s sanda 56-kilogram (kg) division, marking the Philippines’ first silver medal in the continental Olympics.
Mandal, a former sanda world champion, had to compete in a heavier weight class due to changes in the Asian Games program. Despite the challenge, he was able to secure a medal. The strong showing of Mandal and the other members of the national wushu team showcased their outstanding performance in the competition.
Prior to Mandal’s achievement, taolu performer Jones Inso won a bronze medal in the men’s taijiquan-taijijian all-around event. The wushu team continued their success with bronze medals from Gideon Padua and Clemente Tabugara Jr. in their respective weight categories.
Mandal, still filled with determination, is now preparing for the World Sanda Championship in Fort Worth, Texas, scheduled for November. His success has earned him a P1-million cash incentive from the government, and he may receive additional bonuses from the Philippine Olympic Committee and Malacañang.
When asked about his plans for the prize, Mandal replied with a smile, “I haven’t thought about it yet.” He has become the first Filipino millionaire at the Asian Games.
Future Olympic Dreams
Tennis star Alex Eala, after securing a bronze medal in her first Asian Games, is already looking ahead to her future tournaments to improve her ranking points. Although she did not qualify for the Paris Olympics directly, Eala acknowledges the tough competition at the Asian Games and remains determined to achieve her goal of participating in the Olympics.
Eala, currently ranked No. 192 in the world, understands that her current ranking is not sufficient for Olympic qualification. She is focused on giving her best in upcoming tournaments to increase her chances of earning an Olympic ticket.
In other sports news, Gilas Pilipinas secured their second consecutive victory in the men’s basketball competition with an 87-72 win against Thailand. Despite dealing with nagging pain throughout the game, Justin Brownlee led the Philippines in scoring with 22 points and 15 rebounds.
The perseverance of Brownlee, who played through the pain for the national team, is truly commendable.
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Denial of responsibility! Vigour Times is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
