SEA Games 2023 Special Coverage

12:20 am PST June 10, 2023

Catantan hopes for quick recovery from ACL surgery

By Waylon Galvez

SAMANTHA Catantan, the top fencer of the Philippine team, had successful surgery on her left knee to repair an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear she sustained in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia last month.

Samantha Catantan reacts after winning her quarterfinals match at the Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia last month. PHOTO BY RIO DELUVIO

The procedure was performed by renowned sports surgeon Dr. Raul Canlas at St.Luke's Medical Center at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City.

The surgery lasted just an hour.

The 21-year-old fencer, gold medalist in the 2021 SEA Games in Vietnam but settled for the silver in Cambodia because of the injury, was accompanied by her parents Aileen and Jon at the hospital.

Before the surgery, the incoming fourth-year student at Penn State University in the US said she hoped to recover fast to be able to return to action soon.

"I was told that days after the surgery, I need to do the rehabilitation process right away, I need to start because it's important if I want a quick recovery from this injury," said Catantan, an accounting student at Penn State.

"I'm very optimistic that I'll recover fast, and I'll come back stronger. Dr. Canlas told me... one thing going for me is that I'm still young, so there's a big chance that my knee will heal fast. It's a process, but I'm determined and I'm excited."

Catantan hurt her left knee during the semifinal round of the Cambodia SEA Games. Because of the injury, she was forced to withdraw in the final bout, thus settling for the silver medal in the event where she was the heavy favorite.

Catantan, who is in the country for a vacation, will fly back to the US next month to resume her studies.

A former University of the East Red Warriors high school star fencer under coach Rolando "Amat" Canlas Jr., she is the first "homegrown" Filipino fencer to earn a full athletic scholarship in a Division 1 school in the US NCAA.

Because of the injury, Catantan will miss a few tournaments abroad including the FIE World Championships in Italy, a qualifying meet for fencers as it awards points for next year's Paris Olympics. The deadline for that is April 1, 2024.

However, there is still a way for Catantan to make it to the Paris Olympics, and that is via the continental championship where the champion gets a spot in the Games. Catantan is also eyeing to compete in the Asia-Oceania zonal tournament on April 15-30 next year.

In 2021, she nearly made it after advancing to the semifinals of the Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Uzbekistan — the Asian qualifier for the 2020 Tokyo Games.

03:33 pm PST June 07, 2023

Thrower Carbonel bags 2nd gold in Asean Para Games

By Niel Victor C. Masoy

Make that two golds for Evaristo Carbonel.

After ruling the men's javelin throw F11 event last Monday, Carbonel triumphed in discus throw F11 in the 12th ASEAN Para Games at the Morodok Techo Stadium in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Wednesday, June 7.

Carbonel made a 25.67m throw, topping Awang Raduan - Awang Haji Mataha of Brunei and Vann Chamroeun of Cambodia who finished second with a 20.99m throw and third with 14.92m throw, respectively.

12:54 pm PST June 07, 2023

Otom seizes third Asean Para Games gold

By Niel Victor C. Masoy

Angel Otom continued to stamp her class in the 12th ASEAN Para Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

The Filipino swimmer seized her third gold medal in the Games after topping the women's 50m butterfly S5 event at the Morodok Aquatic Center on Wednesday, June 7.

Angel Otom PSC PHOTO

Otom registered 47.33 seconds to convincingly defeat Vietnamese Nguyen Thi Sari and Danh Thi My Thanh, who finished second with a clocking of 1:17.31 and third with a time of 1:31.18, respectively.

Otom won her first gold in the women's 50m backstroke S5 final event last Sunday and her second in women's 200m individual medley on Tuesday.

12:11 am PST June 07, 2023

Tracksters add 3 more golds for Team PH

By The Manila Times

PHNOM PENH: The Philippines' rode on its wonderful track and field team in raking in three more gold medals and staying afloat in the 12th Asean Para Games at the Morodok Techo National Stadium on Tuesday.

King James Reyes saved the best for last as he finally struck gold in the men's 800 meters T46 where he timed in two minutes and 13.22 seconds after a pair of silver-medal efforts in 5000 m Sunday and 1500 m Monday.

Over at the nearby practice field where the other throwing events were staged, Rosalie Torrefiel and Andrei Kuizon likewise snared a gold each with the former reigning supreme in women's javelin F11 and the latter ruling men's shot put F54/34.

The feats hiked the Joel Deriada-mentored squad's total to six, which already matched its haul last year in Surakarta, Indonesia with still one day remaining in the four-day centerpiece event.

At press time, the Filipinos stayed at fifth in the overall medal race with a 15-18-18 gold-silver-bronze haul.

Indonesia continued to hold sway at the helm with a 71-61-41 harvest followed by Thailand's 46-49-36, Vietnam's 31-29-45 and Malaysia's 30-23-14.

Over at the Morodok Aquatics Center, the Filipinos' blistering golden streak came to a crashing halt as they only managed a silver in the 100-m butterfly S14 courtesy of Ariel Joseph Alegarbes, who clocked 1:00.73 in finishing behind eventual winner Muhd Imaan Aiman of Malaysia with 1:00.35.

The country had earlier scooped up five mints in the first two days including two by Gary Bejino, who accomplished both in record-breaking fashions.

Reyes, a 21 year-old native of Loreto, Agusan del Sur, said he drew inspiration from his faith and family.

"They are my inspiration," said Reyes, who lost his right arm after falling from a tree when he was still five years old.

For Torrefiel, she was a cut above the rest in her class where she heaved a 19.33 m in finishing ahead of Thai Ratnaningsih Ratnaningsih (18.05) and Vietnamese Nguyen Thi Chin (17.98).

The same with Kuizon, a protégé of former national team mainstay Nixon Mas who blew away the competition with a 7.27 m, or more than three meters ahead of eventual silver winner Phe Phawat of Cambodia who had a 4.17 m.