It’s a hot and sunny day in Beijing and Team Philippines will end their Olympic stint today with two Pinoys seeing action in taekwondo and diving. Mary Antoinette Rivero touted as the one who has the greatest chance to win the gold will start her fight in the mat at 10am. The other Pinoy, Ryan Rexel Fabrega, will be attempting to reach the semifinals tonight at 7pm in the 10m platform diving.
Ten am rolled and the match between Mary Antoinette Rivero and Sandra Saric started. At the end of round 1, both athletes didn’t score a point. In round 2, Toni scored a defensive kick for 1 point while Sandra scored an offensive kick of 1 point but was given a warning penalty. In round 3, Sandra was able to score 3 defensive kicks to win the match 4 to 1.
Just like Tshomlee, the chance to reach repechage stage was dashed when the eventual champion Hwang Kyungseon of Korea defeated Sandra in the quarterfinals.
In diving, Ryan was aiming to reach the semifinals stage. However, he was outclassed by most of the divers and was only able to get a score of 358.85 points. He placed 28th in a field of 30.
On the demonstration sport of Wushu, Willy Wang won the gold in the combined Men’s nanquan and nangu. Two more wushu athletes will have the chance to win medals when they compete today and tomorrow.
It seems like the 29th Olympiad ended with a sad note for Team Philippines. We have yet to win a gold medal and we have yet to win a medal since Mansueto Velasco won a bronze in 1996. It may be a sad ending but personal records were shattered. Our athletes gave their best and I’m proud that they have done so. The exposure our athletes have gotten here will enable them to improve themselves more. The Olympics is not just sports but a friendly competition between countries and a chance to learn from different cultures.
As the Olympics come to a close this Sunday, I’ll post behind the scenes shots again. Who knows I might be able to get a picture of David Beckham.
Claudine on the Go 
diba silver si onyok?
oo nga pala bat wala tayong representative sa wushu?
hah? demonstration sport ang wushu.. didn’t I put it that they won the gold?? 🙂
di ko alam na pinoy yan si willy wang. hehehe.
sayang…
“Wushu—unlike such sports as athletics, taekwondo and swimming—is not recognized as a regular Summer Games event by the International Olympic Committee. Medals won in wushu events do not count toward a country’s Olympic medal total.”
dapat isama na wushu
Go Team Philippines–we have London 2012 to look forward to and bring home medals! 🙂