GOLD RUSH IN CHONBURI

SHOOTERS, LIFTER, WUSHU BET, RUNNERS STRIKE

- By OLMIN LEYBA

CHONBURI - Practically silent in the first six days, warriors waging battle in this coastal province brought out the big guns and made noise for Team Philippines yesterday.

Reigning world champion Rolly Nathaniel Tecson led a four-victory romp in practical shooting - for real and officially, this time while world weightlifting championships bronze medalist Elreen Ando played true to form as the Chonburi cluster's gold-hauling machine finally got going.

Wushu bet Jones Llabres Inso's conquest of the Taijiquan-Taijijian event over in Bangkok and the sweep of the 800-meter races by middle distance bets Hussein Loraña and Naomi Cesar made it eight for the day - the largest single-day haul to date and jacked up the total tally to 25 mints, 36 silvers and 82 bronzes.

This upgraded take vaulted the 1,600-strong contingent up to fifth in the medal race as of 8 p.m. last night, dislodging Malaysia (23-26-79), at the halfway point of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games.

SHOOTERS ON TARGET

Fresh from his triumph at the IPSC Handgun World Shoot XX in South Africa, Tecson came out firing in the three-day shootfest and reigned supreme in his pet event, the Standard Division, scoring 100 percent.

His colleagues Edcel Gino (Production Optics), Erin Matter Nicor (Open Division Women) and Genesis Pible (Production Optics Women) were also on-target and joined the gold rush at the Eastern National Sport Training Center.