ARIANA Drake finished fourth and last in the women’s 1-meter springboard of diving yesterday, a performance that could augur well for the youngster in future Southeast Asian Games.
Only 17 and a SEA Games-first-timer, Drake was ranged against experienced divers Nur Dhabitah Sabri and Kimberly Bong Quian, who finished 1-2 in the event as Malaysia won the first top medals of the Games formally opening on Thursday.
Sabri, a multi-medalist in Commonwealth and Asian Games and owner of four SEA Games gold medals, scored 290.45 points while her equally experienced teammate had 230.00 points for the silver in the event that only had four competitors.
Vietnam also got into the medal tally board early on Ngo Phuong Mai’s bronze in the event with a 224.00 score in the diving competitions being staged at the My Dinh Aquatics Center in Hanoi.
Drake will compete in the women’s 3-meter springboard on Tuesday. The 1-meter springboard for women wasn’t on the Philippine SEA Games program in 2019.
Meanwhile, the Philippine beach handball team snatched its second straight victory yesterday at the expense of Singapore 22-19, 22-16 at Tuan Chau Island in Quang Ninh Province.
The win was a fitting follow-up to the Filipinos’ 18-16, 18-16 upset of Thailand, which clinched the silver in the 2019 Philippines Games, behind Vietnam, two days ago.
