Hinandog ni Jeus Gabriel Derick Yape sa Pilipinas ang ikaapat nitong gintong medalya sa 20th Asian Games matapos niyang dominahin ang mixed individual virtual taekwondo nitong Biyernes sa Toyohashi Gymnasium sa Aichi, Japan.
Tinalo ng 22-anyos na si Yape si Ngoc Tuyet Sang Chau ng Vietnam, 2-0.
Bago umabot sa finals, tinalo ni Yape si Dunya Bushuaib Saber ng Saudi Arabia, 2-1 (round of 16); si Hayate Suzuki ng Japan, 2-0 (quarterfinal); at si Rita Bakisheva ng Kazakhstan, 2-0 (semifinals).
Ang virtual taekwondo ay isang immersive, non-contact digital combat sport na binuo ng World Taekwondo at ng Refract Technologies, kung saan isinasalin ang aktuwal na galaw sa martial arts sa isang in-game avatar.
Ang kauna-unahang pagsabak ni Yape sa Asian Games ay nagbunga rin ng bronze medal sa men’s individual poomsae noong Huwebes.
Siya at ang kapwa Asiad first-timer na si Juliana Mykhail Candelaria, silver medalist sa women’s individual poomsae, ay mga student-athlete ng University of Santo Tomas.
Sa huling update Biyernes ng gabi, ang Team Philippines ay may 4-8-16 gold-silver-bronze.
Dalawa ang ginto ni Carlos Yulo ng gymnastics at isa ang kay Ernest John Obiena, na gumawa rin ng bagong Asiad record sa pole vault.
Ayon sa Republic Act No. 10699 o ang National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act, Php2 milyon ang garantisadong katumbas ng bawat ginto sa Asiad, bukod pa ang inaasahang karagdagang pabuya mula sa ibang pampubliko o pribadong ahensya at mga sponsor.
Silver medal ang nakuha nina Carlo Paalam, men’s boxing 55kg finals; at Tachiana Keizha Mangin (women’s -49kg) at Kurt Bryan Barbosa (men’s -58kg), taekwondo.
Bronze naman para kina Khy Progella at Sofiah Pagara, women’s beach volleyball; at Kaila Napolis, jiu-jitsu (women’s 52kg).
“Well, bronze medal, it’s an honor to win a bronze medal here in a big competition. I was happy I was able to pull the two points on this bronze medal,” ani Napolis matapos manaig kontra Tsagaanbileg Altangerel ng Mongolia, 2-0.
“It’s a huge deal. After all, it’s the Asian Games. The Asian Games happens only every four years. We’re a bit sad, of course, for those who did not win a medal.”
Nangunguna pa rin ang China (162-81-63), kasunod ang host (72-83-85), South Korea (33-39-62), Uzbekistan (20-23-22), India (16-25-35) at Iran (15-17-13).
Pampito ang Thailand at nangunguna sa Southeast Asia, 15-11-17.