By El Amigo
MANILA — Jean Claude Saclag came within one victory of an Asian Games gold but had to settle for silver after losing to Tajikistan’s Otabek Rajabov, 0-3, in the men’s traditional -65kg mixed martial arts final Tuesday at the Inae Sports Center.
Saclag gave everything in the championship match but could not overcome Rajabov, who emerged as the division’s Asian Games champion.
The result nevertheless gave the Philippines its first silver medal of the Aichi-Nagoya Games and raised the country’s medal collection to four.
Saclag’s journey to the final added another podium finish to a Philippine campaign that had already produced three bronze medals.
The women’s soft tennis team opened the country’s medal account, with Princess Catindig, Bien Zoleta, Christy Sanosa, Shyryn Salazar and Hilary Paas earning bronze.
The Philippines followed that achievement with another bronze from Carlos Alvarez, who finished third in the men’s traditional -77kg MMA competition.
Karate delivered the country’s third medal through Samantha Emmanuelle Veguillas, Ysabielle Arrogante and Rebecca Cyril Torres in women’s team kata.
The Filipino karate trio defeated Thailand, 4-1, in the bronze-medal match after reaching the semifinals.
Veguillas, Arrogante and Torres began their campaign with a 5-0 quarterfinal victory over Cambodia. Their run toward the final was halted by Iran, which swept the Philippines, 5-0, in the semifinals.
The Filipinas regrouped for the bronze-medal match and produced a decisive response against Thailand, winning four of five judges’ decisions.
Saclag’s silver followed those three bronze finishes, giving Team Philippines a balanced early medal haul of one silver and three bronzes.
The veteran MMA fighter had been expected to contend for a podium finish and lived up to that billing by advancing to the championship bout.
His final loss to Rajabov prevented the Philippines from adding a second gold medal, but the silver still marked an important podium finish for the delegation.
As competition continues across Aichi-Nagoya, Filipino athletes remain in action in several disciplines, with the Philippine delegation looking to add more medals to its growing tally.
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