PH bags 3 medals in 2 int’l tourneys

Ronalyn Greenlees (right) shows the silver medal she won during the 2017 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Photo taken from Greenlees’ Facebook account)

MANILA — The national lawn bowls team returned on Monday, bringing home three medals from tournaments in China and Hong Kong last week.

According to playing coach Ronalyn Greenlees, the men’s team bagged the gold medal while the women’s squad won the bronze medal in the 21st Tiger Bowls World Invitational tournament, which was held on March 10-11 at the Hong Kong Lawn Bowls Training Center.

The men’s team, composed of Ronald Lising, Hommer Mercado, Paul Kitchen and Errol Johnson, defeated Hong Kong-B, 8-7, in the semifinal round before posting a 7-6 victory over Hong Kong-A in the championship round.

In the women’s division, the Philippine team comprised of Rosita Bradborn, Hazel Jagonoy, Marisa Baronda, and Sharon Hauters, lost to China, 5-8, and settled for the bronze medal.

The same women’s team also clinched the silver medal in the Belt and Road China Lawn Bowls Open 2018 tournament held in Shenzhen and Zhuhai last March 16.

The Philippines downed the United States, 7-5, in the semifinal round to arrange a title showdown with England, which took the gold medal with the score of 13-0.

“We are all proud and happy to get the silver,” said the 29-year-old Jagonoy from Samar on Sunday.

Greenlees, a world championship medalist, has expressed her satisfaction with the performances of both the men’s and women’s teams.

“They did very well in the two tournaments,” said Greenlees, who serves as coach of both men’s and women’s teams.

Greenlees, Jagonoy, Bradborn, and Sonia Bruce are members of the team that won the bronze medal at the 2016 World Outdoor Bowls Championship in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Greenlees, who also reached the quarterfinal of the pair event in the 2008 World Outdoor Bowls Championship, said the Philippines will compete in the Asian Championships in China in September.

Last year, the Philippines won one gold, three silvers and two bronzes in the SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The medalists are Robert Guarin, Emmanuel Portacio and Leoncio Carreon, Jr. (men’s fours, gold); Marisa Baronda, Nancy Toyco and Nenita Tabiano (women’s fours, silver); Greenlees, Jagonoy and Bradborn (women’s tiples, silver); Marcelito Pancho and Angelo Morales (men’s pairs, silver); Asuncion Bruce and Ainie Knigt (women’s pairs, bronze); and Elmer Abatayo (men’s singles, bronze).