King James reigns, bags historic bronze
KING James Reyes celebrates after a podium performance in the 1,500-meter T46 to win the country’s first medal in the athletics competition of the Asian Para Games on Friday in Nagoya.
Photographs by Joey Sanchez Mendoza for DAILY TRIBUNE
NAGOYA, Japan — King James Reyes wrapped up his Asian Para Games campaign with a bronze medal in the men’s 1,500-meter T46, delivering the Philippines’ first athletics podium finish at the fifth edition of the Games at the Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium here Friday.
The 24-year-old native of Loreto, Agusan del Sur, who lost an arm after falling from a macopa tree at age five, clocked a personal-best four minutes and 13.81 seconds to avert a medal shutout for the Filipinos in the sport.
Sri Lanka’s Wahumpurage Puwakpitikande claimed gold in 4:03.25, while India’s Parmod took silver in 4:09.65.
“I’m still proud because this is my first time competing in the Asian Para Games, especially against seasoned veterans,” he said.
Also in athletics, Ma. Ravinia Carpena captured a bronze in the women’s shotput F20 with 11.39 meters.
Japan’s Reina Hori snared the gold with a 13.57m while Siti Noraidah Suherman grabbed the silver with an 11.46m.
Reyes’ breakthrough came a day after the heartbreaking reversal that cost Cyril Cloyd Ongcoy bronze in the men’s 1,500-meter T12/T13. A jury reinstated Uzbekistan’s initially disqualified Fakhriddin Khamraev as the gold medalist, relegating Ongcoy to fourth.
Heading into the final day, the Philippine delegation, backed by the Philippine Sports Commission, stood 17th overall with two golds, two silvers and two bronzes.
Evaristo Carbonel and Edwin Enguito Jr. also gave their all but fell short in their medal bids.
Carbonel posted a personal best of 27.18 meters in the men’s discus throw F11 but finished fifth in the five-man field, while Enguito placed fourth in the men’s high jump T63 with a clearance of 1.63 meters.
In wheelchair fencing at the Nagoya City Inae Sports Center, Wilfredo Bugayong II and Violeta Sapalit reached the knockout rounds but bowed out of medal contention in saber.
Bugayong advanced to the men’s Category A round of 16 after defeating Hong Kong’s Lee Sheung Ho, 15-5, in the preceding round. He then fell to China’s Cheng Yang, 6-15.
Sapalit likewise exited in the round of 16, losing to South Korea’s Kim Yeji, 6-15.