A third bronze from wushu

Agatha Wong delivers her bronze medal winning performance in the wushu competition of the 18th Asian Games Monday at the Jakarta International Expo. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

JAKARTA, Indonesia – Agatha Wong delivered the country’s third bronze medal with a sparkling performance in the wushu competition of the 18th Asian Games Monday at the Jakarta International Expo.

Wong, 20, registered 9.68 points in taijiquan (pushing hands) and a similar 9.68 points in taijijian (two-edged sword) to emerge with 19.36 points and capture the bronze medal in the women’s taijiquan and taijijian all-around event.

Lindswell Lindswell of Indonesia scored 19.50 points to win the gold medal while Juanita Mok Uen Ying of Hong Kong bagged the silver medal with 19.42 points in this Chinese martial arts event that puts premium on grace and artistry.

Yu, a graduate of College of Saint Benilde, said she did not expect to win in the Asian level despite her gold medal in the previous Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur and a stint in the World Championships in Kazan, Russia last year.

“I came here with no expectations. I just wanted to do my best and show everybody that I can also compete at this level,” said Wong, who nearly failed to make it here after suffering from a back injury at the start of the year.

“I underwent therapy after suffering Grade 2 slipped disc and patellar tendonitis on my right knee. So, in preparation for this Asian Games, I had therapy once a week and a week’s rest because I didn’t want to aggravate my injury.”