Figure-skater Chloe Ing rallies to clinch gold
Singapore figure-skater Chloe Ing was trailing after last Friday's short programme, but her strong performance in yesterday's free-skating segment helped her come from behind to win the SEA Games gold medal.
Clad in a white, sparkling leotard, the 21-year-old glided gracefully to Beyonce's rendition of Ave Maria, a lyrical instrumental that worked well with her ballet and dance background.
Executing all her level-four spins and sequences to perfection, Ing leapfrogged initial leader Alisson Perticheto of the Philippines to win the event at the SM Megamall Ice Rink in Manila.
Ing finished with a combined total of 152.67 points - 50.67 points from the short programme and 102 points from the free skate.
Perticheto, 22, had led with 53.65 points after the short programme, but earned 79.11 points to finish second with 132.76 points. Indonesia's Savika Refa Zahira was third with 100.80 points.
Ing told The New Paper in a phone interview: "It was a whirlwind of emotions and I'm still processing everything, but I'm very happy and proud to represent Singapore and bring this home.
"I made a few mistakes (in the short programme) but used it as something to push me and this was the best outcome I could have asked for."
Ing, who is based in Toronto, Canada, also bettered her performance at the last Games, where she finished second.
In the men's figure-skating event, 15-year-old Pagiel Sng finished fifth out of seven competitors with 135.17 points after falling three times during his routine.
"I had a lot of nerves because I wanted to do the best that I could," he said. "This opens me as an athlete and I should have handled it a lot better." - ADEENA NAGIB
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