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Riveros’ best not enough
Source : Staff   
Sunday, 24 August 2008 12:49

BEIJING—The weight of an entire nation’s hopes caved in on poor little Toni Rivero, who went down fighting up to her very last kick in the 29th Olympic Games’ -67kg women’s taekwondo competitions at the Beijing University Science and Technology.

With her entire family cheering her on and Filipinos praying for a miracle back home, Rivero fought like it was the last game of her career, but still bowed to Croatian Sandra Saric, 1-4, in a first-round setback so painful, it felt like death in the family.

Her heart broken and eyes welling with tears, Rivero then walked away from the center mat, knowing that her defeat capped another futile attempt by the Philippines to end a medal drought in these games.
“Masakit talaga, masakit for her. ’Yung preparation na ginawa ng dalawa (with Tshomlee Go), parang dumaan sila sa impyerno, so I can just imagine ’yung sakit,” said Rivero’s coach Rocky Samson. “But we’re proud of their performance. Deep down, they know they did their best.”

Unlike fellow jin Go two days earlier, Rivero took the fight to her foe, who was even warned for continuously backing away.

With the score tied at 1-1 after the second round, the 20-year-old Rivero continued to pounce on the taller Saric, who, to her credit, proved to be an elusive target. But when the Croatian found her rhythm, it was all over for Rivero, whose aggressive stance was effectively quashed by Saric’s long reach and cool demeanor.

“It was a very close fight, especially the first and second rounds. Naramdaman namin na we’re in control, Toni was actually winning. She was more aggressive. The score was 1-all, and may .5 deduction ’yung Croatian because of continuous backing,” said Samson.

A furious exchange starting the third round had Saric connecting with an offensive kick for a 2-1 lead, which she later padded with two more blows, this time on the defensive end, to win the match, 4-1.

“Late in the third round, we had to change our plan, we didn’t have enough time to catch up a point. I respect also the Croatian, she knew what to do, she was able to use her experience, pati ’yung haba ng legs niya. She’s taller by 2 to 3 inches than Toni, pero even then, kahit gaano katangkad ’yung Croatian, kung makikita niyo sa 1st and 2nd rounds, Toni dictated the fight,” added Samson.

After the loss, Rivero actually still had the chance to contend for the bronze via the backdoor, granting that the Croatian would go all the way to the finals, but the pretty Saric lost her next game to Korean hotshot Hwang Kyungseon, 1-3, thereby ending all of the Filipina jin’s hopes.

“Ano ba naman ito? Dinala na ni Toni ang lahat ng pressure. Admittedly, talo. Magaling ’yung Croatian. Iba ’yung galing nu’ng Croatian ngayon. No excuses,” admitted taekwondo president Robert Aventajado.

“It’s not our day,” Aventajado then told chef de mission Rep. Monico Puentevella, who together with First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, officials of the Philippine Embassy here, Philippine Olympic Committee president Peping Cojuangco and Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William Ramirez, cheered Rivero at the sidelines.

Rivero and Go joined a long list of Filipino athletes, who lost here, namely long jumpers Henry Dagmil and Marestella Torres, boxer Harry Tanamor, archer Mark Javier, swimmer Ryan Arabejo, diver Sheila Mae Perez and shooter Eric Ang.

Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, and swimmers Miguel Molina, Christel Simms, JB Walsh and Daniel Coakley, also failed to advance in their respective disciplines, but at least delivered new Philippines records.

The loss marked the third straight Olympics that a Philippine team came out empty-handed. Its last medal was a silver in the 1996 Atlanta games, courtesy of boxer Onyok Velasco, who lost to Bulgarian Daniel Petrov in the finals.

The Philippines, which has been searching for a gold medal in the Olympics for 84 years, will try again four years from now in London.
 
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