By REYNALD MAGALLON
BANGKOK — Kayla Sanchez couldn’t sustain her stellar start to the day and settled for a pair of silver medals just as the Alas Pilipinas women’s team fell to Thailand in its opener and the Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 teams ending their campaigns on disappointing note on Thursday, Dec. 11 here.
After a record-breaking swim in the preliminaries early in the morning, Sanchez couldn’t find the rhythm she needed to win the gold medal as she clocked 28.84 seconds in the women’s 50-meter backstroke, only good for the second spot.
She finished behind Masniari Wolf of Indonesia who tapped in first at 28.80 seconds, while Boonamphai Saovanee of Thailand took the bronze, clocking 28.84 seconds.
Sanchez’s second silver, meanwhile, came in the 200m freestyle where she recorded 2:02.9. She trailed only Gan Ching Hwee of Singapore, who won the gold in 2:00.2. Maria Nedelko (Thailand) finished third in 2:02.71.
“We don’t take it as ‘lost gold,’ we take it as silver. Kayla has a lot of experience, and still this is her first time in SEA Games. Overall, I commend her and she has that professionalism,” Philippines women’s swimming team coach Michal Zbigniew Skrodzk said.
Still, it’s a 3-for-3 record for Sanchez so far, having won the gold in the team 4x100m relay the day before.
Meanwhile, Alas Pilipinas put up a fight, only to be overpowered by Thailand, 11-25, 17-25, 16-25, at the start of its campaign in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games women’s volleyball competition Thursday night at the Indoor Stadium Huamark here.
The reigning 14-time champion Thais gave Alas, which has nine players making their debut in the biennial meet, a rude welcome in Group A.
Young stars and SEA Games first-timers Angel Canino, Alyssa Solomon and Bella Belen tried to will Alas into the match, but the Thais won’t be denied their domination of the Filipinas since losing the 1993 Singapore gold.
Alas will face Singapore on Friday in a virtual do-or-die game for a spot in the crossover semifinals.
Also a big disappointment was the Gilas 3×3 team after failing to secure a podium for the first time after absorbing a 21-19 loss to Malaysia, Thursday at Nimibutr Stadium
Ange Kouame, Joseph Eriobu, Joseph Sedurifa and Janrey Pasaol tried to salvage a podium finish following a stinging semifinal defeat at the hands of Singapore, only to be denied by a vengeful Malaysian side.
Malaysia, which lost to Gilas in pool play, secured the bronze.
“I don’t have any words right now except that we tried to get the win,” a disappointed Kouame said. “But as they say, things happen.”
The setback saw Gilas miss out on a medal for the first time since the event was first held in 2019.
At the end of the second day of competitions, Team Philippines improved to the No.5 spot with five golds, seven silvers and 21 bronzes. The Nationals lag behind host Thailand, which already has 41 golds, 24 silvers, and 14 bronzes, followed by Vietnam with 14 golds, eight silvers, and 27 bronzes.
Indonesia is third with 13 golds, 20 silvers and 13 bronzes while fourth is Singapore with nine golds, 10 silvers and 13 bronzes.
