POOMSAE ARTIST PHL ICEBREAKER

He didn’t get to enjoy the spectacle of Tuesday night's opening ceremony of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games. But there's no stopping Justin Kobe Macario from getting his time under the bright lights the morning after.

- By OLMIN LEYBA

Godwin Langbayan

Delivering crisp stances, blocking, striking and kicking moves in his snappy routine, Macario dazzled his way to the gold in the men’s individual freestyle poomsae competition at the Fashion Island Mall in Bangkok yesterday.

“Kahapon nag-training kami four times bago sumalang dito. Sinacrifice na namin na hindi pumunta sa opening para makapag-prepare ng maayos, "shared the 23-year-old sports management graduate from UST.

Macario’s winning mark of 8.200 points against Thailand’s Koedkaew Atchariya (8.100) and Malaysia’s Ken Haw Chin (7.740) cleared the way for the playing of the “Lupang Hinirang” for the first time in the Thailand SEAG.

BREAKTHROUGH IN SWIMMING

Before the day ended, fancied SEAG debutant Kayla Sanchez and her 4x100 meter freestyle relay teammates added a second gold over in swimming at the Sports Authority of Thailand Pool.