KUALA LUMPUR -- Newcomer Cendy Asusano ruled the women's shot put F54 event on Friday to pocket her third gold medal in the 9th ASEAN Para Games athletics competition at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil here.
The 27-year-old Asusano, who hails from Albay province, registered 5.50 meters on her fourth attempt.
Vietnamese Ng Thi Ngoc Thuy submitted 5.06 meters to win the silver medal, while Marites Burce of the Philippines recorded 4.85 meters to settle for the bronze medal.
Asusano gave the Philippines its first gold medal in the tournament when she won the javelin throw F54/55 last Monday. She collected her second gold medal in the discus throw event.
Asusano has a three-year-old daughter and is living in Rosario, Bulacan.
In the men's discus throw F11, Filipino Evaristo Carbonel registered 27.06 meters in the fourth round to win the silver medal. The gold medal went to Thailand's Boonsri Phichai, who submitted 31.41 meters, while his compatriot, Wongngoen Arnon recorded 24.47 meters to win the bronze medal.
In the women's shot put F55, Jesebel Tordecilla finished fourth (5.12 meters) behind gold winner Truong Bich Van of Vietnam (6.68 meters), silver medalist Htet Htet Aye of Myanmar (5.96 meters), and bronze winner Ngo Thi Lan Thanh of Vietnam (5.33 meters).
Filipino Jerrold Mangliwan placed sixth in the men's 200-meter T52/53 event dominated by Thailand. Pichet Krungget won the gold in 27.85 seconds, Sopa Intasen pocketed the silver (28.39 seconds), and J. Saksiripong got the bronze (28.57 seconds).
As of 12 noon Friday, the Philippine athletics team has a total of nine golds, five silvers, and five bronzes.
Aside from Asusano, the other triple-gold medalist in the team is newcomer, sprinter Ma. Cielo Honasan, a 15-year-old polio victim from Botolan, Zambales.
Honasan's medals came from the T44 100 meters and 200 meters events, and the T44/46 400 meters event.
Prudencia Panaligan delivered two gold medals coming from the women's 100 meters (T52/53/54) and 200 meters (T53/54), while Rosalie Torrefiel won the gold in the women's F12 javelin throw event.
The other silver medal winners are Arman Dino (men's T47 100 meters and 400 meters), Tordecilla (women's F54/55 javelin throw) and Jeanette Aceveda (women's F11/12 shot put), while those who contributed the bronze medals are Burce (women's F54 discus throw), Tordecilla (women's F54/55 discus throw), Joel Balatucan (men's F54/55 shot put), and Raul Angoluan (men's T40 800 meters). (PNA)
