Asian Para Games: Manginsay-Redulla tandem takes silver in table tennis

MANILA — The tandem of Lhey Manginsay and Wilfred Redulla delivered a table tennis silver medal for the Philippines in the 5th Asian Para Games, Thursday in Nagoya. 

The gutsy pair pushed for gold but fell short against the powerhouse Chinese duo of Paralympic champion Zhao Shuai and Asian Para Games silver medalist Xiong Guiyan, 7-11, 11-9, 4-11, 6-11, settling for silver in the mixed doubles Class XD17 at Sky Hall Toyota.

It was the country’s first medal in the sport since the late Paralympic bronze medalist Josephine Medina captured silver in the Jakarta edition eight years ago.

The feat raised the Filipinos’ medal haul to two golds, two silvers and a bronze, placing them 16th overall at press time.

The pair’s podium finish provided a measure of consolation for the Philippine delegation, after visually impaired runner Cyril Cloyd Ongcoy missed out on a bronze medal in the men’s 1,500-meter T12/T13 early Thursday.

Ongcoy had initially placed third, with a time of four minutes and 23.19 seconds on Wednesday night.

Uzbekistan’s Fakhriddin Khamraev, who had initially been disqualified, was reinstated as the gold medalist with a time of 4:07.47. Jordan’s Nabeel Maqableh and India’s Sharath Makanahalli, initially awarded gold and silver, dropped to silver and bronze with times of 4:07.97 and 4:11.01, respectively.

Despite the heartbreaking reversal, the 23-year-old Ongcoy remained proud of his Asian Para Games debut.

“Proud pa rin ako kasi first time kong maglaro sa Asian Para Games dahil mga kalaban ko, beterano na,” he said.

At the Rainbow Pool of the Nagoya City General Gymnasium, Arjay Alegarbes fell short in his bid for a second gold medal, finishing fifth in the men’s 100-meter butterfly S14 in 58.93 seconds.

The event was among seven swimming finals in which the Filipinos were seeking to boost their medal haul, with fellow gold medalist Ernie Gawilan entered in the men’s 100-meter backstroke S7.

Also in the finals were Edwin Villanueva in the men’s 100-meter breaststroke SB7 and 100-meter backstroke S8, Muhaimin Ulag in the men’s 100-meter butterfly S14, Raemund Adefuin in the men’s 100-meter backstroke S6 and the mixed 4×50-meter freestyle relay squad.

Swimming had accounted for all of the Philippines’ two golds, one silver and one bronze before the table tennis breakthrough.

On the track, Arman Dino, who lost his right hand in an accident involving a “Super Lolo” firecracker when he was seven, finished fifth in the first of two morning heats in the men’s 400-meter T47 in 56.67 seconds and failed to advance to the final.

In cycling, Filipinos Patrick Lee, Arthus Bucay and Nikko Peralta will have one final chance at a medal when they compete in the men’s C4-5 road race Friday at the Cycle Sports Center on the Izu Peninsula.

In wheelchair basketball at the Aichi International Arena, the Nationals bowed to Kuwait, 53-61, to finish eighth and last.

Despite the loss, it was the Philippines’ best finish in the event, improving on its 10th-place showing in Hangzhou three years ago.