SEA Games: Rower Cordova gives Team Philippines 15th gold medal

Nestor Cordova wrested the Philippines' first gold in rowing Wednesday in the M1X event of the 2011 Southeast Asian Games at the Cipule Regatta Course in West Java, Indonesia. The Navy Petty Officer Third Class outclassed the field by taking the gold with a time of seven minutes and 18.81 seconds beating Chaichana Thakum by more than two seconds as the Thai clocked 7:21.660 to settle for the silver. Myanmar's Aung Ko Min of Myanmar (7:25.320) bagged the bronze. "My hard training under coach Rolandas Kazlauskas paid off. I want to thank him for all the help he has given me," said Cordova in his first gold medal in an international competition. Crodova's gold-medal win marked the fourth straight time that a Filipino ruled the showpiece event after Olympian Benjie Tolentino topped the race in the SEA Games' 2003, 2005 and 2007 editions. Alvin Amposta and rookie Edgar Ilas settled for the bronze in the LM2X event after the Filipino pair, first time partners, missed a possible silver medal after the latter miscalculated his stroke with 450 meters left in the race. They finished the race in 6:49.50 behind Indonesia's Irham and Jamaludin (6:48.20) and Thailand's Leam Kangkok and Ruthanapol Thepp (6:45.30). The 34-year-old Cordova emerged as the 15th gold medalist for Team Philippines following the Nationals' six-gold harvest Tuesday. Jins Kristie Elaine Alora and Japoy Lizardo, bowler Frederick Ong, fencer Walbert Mendoza, wrestler Jason Balabal and cue artist Iris Ranola all grabbed gold medals Tuesday in Team Philippines' most productive day in the 26th SEA Games. — JVP, GMA News