The gold-medal dream is gone, but the fight isn’t over
𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗟𝗢𝗦𝗦. 𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗘 𝗙𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧.
Alas Pilipinas’ Khy Progella and Sofiah Pagara suffered their first loss of the tournament Thursday, falling to Thailand’s Worapeerachayakorn Kongphopsarutawadee and Taravadee Naraphornrapat, 21-23, 18-21, in the women’s beach volleyball semifinals of the 20th Asian Games.
The Filipinas came within striking distance in both sets but could not find the finishing touch against the Thai pair, who advanced to the gold-medal match.
For Progella and Pagara, the defeat was especially painful.
They entered the semifinal unbeaten and had already survived a tough quarterfinal battle against Japan to book their place in the final four.
They also carried unfinished business after Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons were beaten by the same Thai tandem just a day earlier.
But Thailand once again had the final say.
Still, there is no time to dwell on what slipped away.
A medal is still within reach.
Progella and Pagara will battle China’s Cao Shuting and Dong Jie on Friday with a bronze medal on the line.
The road to gold may have ended.
The road to the podium hasn’t.
One more match. One more chance to finish this Asian Games campaign with a medal around their necks.
𝗔𝗟𝗔𝗦, 𝗚𝗜𝗥𝗟𝗦. 𝗙𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗕𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗭𝗘.
