Battered Chinese
HANGZHOU, China — After beating Eumir Marcial in the gold medal match of the men's 80-kilogram boxing event of the 19th Asian Games, Tanglatihan Tuohtaerbieke looked as if he just survived a rumble.

He faced the Chinese media with a lot of bruises, a huge scratch on chin, and a deep cut on the left eyebrow. For sure, he has an aching body after suffering three rounds of heavy beating from the Filipino Olympic bronze medalist.

On the contrary, Marcial looked fresh.

Marcial was smiling when he talked to Manila-based sportswriters, saying that he is respecting the decision of the judges and will just train hard for his upcoming professional fights as well as the Paris Olympics next year.

He added that Filipinos should also accept the outcome of his match no matter how painful it is. After all, the real battle is not in China — it is in Paris.
Such a class act.

Joyful tears
HANGZHOU, China — Meggie Ochoa let her tears flow freely shortly after winning the country's second gold medal in the jiu-jitsu competition of the 19th Asian Games.

Ochoa, 33, said her road to the medal podium was littered with heartaches and difficulties as she battled anxiety, sickness and injuries just to win an Asian Games gold medal after finishing third in the previous edition in Jakarta in 2018.

In fact, until the eve of the competition, she was nursing a high fever, prompting her to take a lot of medicines just to feel better.

Fortunately for her, she competed against a familiar foe in the final of the women's 48-kilogram event, giving her a slight advantage that led to the gold medal.

For sports fans, Ochoa's story is a feel-good tale of determination and redemption.

But for Filipino athletes, this kind of narrative is just ordinary. This is what they are actually going through day in and day out before emerging victorious.

That is why it is understandable why Ochoa couldn't stop crying.