2007 Seagames first GOLD

Cycling wins first SEA GAMES gold for RP

GOLDEN BOY. Mountain biker Joey Barba holds the first gold medal won by the Philippines in the 24th Southeast Asian Games in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.

KHAO YAI THIENG, Thailand -- The Philippine campaign in the 24th Southeast Asian Games finally picked up courtesy of downhill mountain biker Joey Barba.

Barba upended the fancied home bet in the final run Thursday morning to scoop up the first Philippine gold in the biennial event.

The feat of the 23-year-old snapped a nine-day drought for the Filipinos in these Games.

Mountain biker Joey Barba, a carpenter’s son from Dumaguete, ignored the danger posed by the rugged mountain trail in the men’s downhill run to win by almost three seconds at the end of the 1.9-kilometer event.

Barba, his elbows and knees tattooed by scars from spills that are common in his sport, timed three minutes 56.920 seconds as the Filipinos crashed the gold medal rank after the shooters’ winless performance last week in Bangkok.
Read more...
source: http://sports.inquirer.net/ & http://www.2007seagames.com/