MANAMA — Kram Airam Carpio ensured the country of its first medal at the 3rd Asian Youth Games after she overpowered Indian Sakshi Thakur, 83-17, in pencak silat over the weekend at the Exhibition World Bahrain here.
That emphatic triumph assured the Asian Championship silver medalist of at least a bronze and possibly better if she ends up hurdling Kazakh Aliyam Azizova in their girls’ 51 to 55-kilogram semi final duel as of this writing.
Ms. Carpio made it through after dumping Iranian Nazaninfatemeh Kolasangiani, 36-22, in the round-of-16 hours before in the sports that originated from Southeast Asia and making its debut in this quadrennial meet.
Also jump-starting the 141-strong Philippine squad was Alas Pilipinas, which shell-shocked regional powerhouse South Korea in a nerve-wracking 25-21, 19-25, 25-22, 22-25, 15-10 win at the Hall B of the Isa Sports City Sunday.
The Filipinas, represented mostly by the country’s undisputed high school champion National University stars, shoot for a Group D sweep and outright quarterfinal qualification as they battle the Thais, their SEA rivals, Monday.
But the campaign wasn’t all roses as Jelou Eluna, the country’s only other pencak silat entry, and kurash’s Elijah Mendoza and Syrine Mae Bacani all fell by the wayside.
Mr. Eluna succumbed to Muhammad Raqib Darwisy of Uzbekistan, 40-13, in the boys’ 59-63 kg division.
Mr. Mendoza and Ms. Bacani, for their part, were shown the door by Tajikistan’s Abubar Turaev in the boys’ -65kg class, 10-0, and Iran’s Mahsa Barzegar in the girls’ -70kg section, 10-0, respectively, at the Gilam A.
There is still hope though for medals as Khian Alcala was battling Mubinanbonu Karirmova of Uzbekistan in the girls’ -52kg and Ms. Zeus was facing Mehrab Mokarrami of Iran in the boys -83kg, respectively, as of this writing. — Joey Villar
