Hindi nadagdagan ang medalya ng Pilipinas sa Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games nitong Miyerkules ngunit sinigurado nina Carlos Paalam at Alexandra Eala na aakyat sila sa podium.
Nanalo si Paalam sa pamamagitan ng split decision sa men’s 55kg semifinals kontra two-time world champion at kasalukuyang world No. 1 na si Makhmud Sabyrkhan ng Kazakhstan.
Makakalaban niya para sa ginto si Rui Yamaguchi ng Japan sa Biyernes.
Tinalo ni Yamaguchi si Bilguun Saikhan Kharhuu ng Mongolia, 5-0.
“Please po support me,” panawagan ni Paalam sa mga Pilipino. “Sana po ipagdasal niyo kami at sana makuha natin ‘yung gold medal soon po.”
Sa women’s tennis singles, sinibak ni Eala si Joanna Garland ng Chinese-Taipei, 7-5, 6-0, sa main court ng Higashiyama Park Tennis Center.
Maghihintay si Wang Xiyu ng China sa semifinals, kung saan ang hindi papalarin ay sigurado na may bronze medal.
“She’s a great player. Obviously, she has really good, high-quality shots,” ani Eala patungkol kay Garland. “She has a lot of power, a great serve, many good qualities, and obviously is a fighter. You could see that in the energy she brought on court today (Wednesday).”
Dalawang bronze ang nakuha ni Eala sa 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games — singles at mixed doubles kasama si Francis Casey Alcantara.
Dagdag pa ni Eala tungkol kay Garland: I think she should be proud of reaching the quarterfinals. I think we are good friends and I think that’s what I remember her for the most — being a good person. She’s a great player, obviously, she has really good high quality shots, she has a lot of power, great serve. Many good qualities and she’s a fighter.”
Sa kasalukuyan, 3-3-12 gold-silver-bronze pa rin ang Pilipinas. Dalawang ginto ang hatid ni Carlos Yulo ng gymnastics at isa ang mula kay back-to-back pole vault champion Ernest John Obiena.