More medals for PH: Women's sepak takraw team, Jayuard Alciso make waves at 20th Asian Games

The Philippines added two more medals to its 2026 Asian Games haul on Sept. 29, with the women's sepak takraw doubles team winning silver and surfer Jayuard Alciso taking bronze in men's shortboard.

The women's sepak takraw team composed of Jean Marie Sucalit and Abegail Sinogbuhan, with substitute Nelly Jay Salon, secured the silver after falling to Vietnam, 8-15, 4-15, in the women's doubles final at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Gymnasium in Japan.

Meanwhile, Alciso claimed bronze in the men's shortboard surfing event after scoring a total of 11.64—anchored by a 6.67 on his first wave and a 4.97 on his second—to take third place. He defeated fellow Filipino surfer Toby Espejon, who tallied 4.83 and 4.07 on his two waves.

As of writing, the Philippines has 16 medals: two gold, three silver, and 11 bronze.

Other Filipino medalists

The Philippines' two gold medals so far came from gymnast Carlos Yulo, who topped the men's floor exercise and vault events. His younger brother, Karl Eldrew Yulo, also won bronze in the men's horizontal bar.

The country's other silver medals came from Jean Claude Saclag in men's traditional -65kg MMA and the Gilas Pilipinas Women's 3x3 team, composed of Kacey Dela Rosa, Amyah Espanol, Kennan Ka, and Maria Pasilang.

The Philippines also collected bronze medals across several sports. In soft tennis, Princess Catindig, Bien Zoleta, Christy Sanosa, Shyryn Salazar, and Hilary Paas made it to the podium in the women's team event.

“We really worked to win this, especially here in the Asian Games. For us in soft tennis, this is our Olympics. So to win a medal here means so much to us,” Zoleta told the reporters after the game.

Carlos Alvarez earned bronze in men's traditional -77kg MMA, while Marie June Adriano took bronze in women's individual kumite -50kg. Samantha Veguillas, Ysabielle Arrogante, and Rebecca Torres also secured bronze in women's team kata.

In weightlifting, 20-year-old Albert Ian Delos Santos won bronze in the men's 70kg event in his Asian Games debut. John Cabang Tolentino also made it to the podium with a bronze in the men's 110m hurdles, ending a 72-year wait for a Filipino male hurdler to win an Asian Games medal in the event.

The Philippines also earned two bronze medals in esports, with SIBOL's Pokémon UNITE and Honor of Kings teams making the podium.

Rounding out the country's bronze-medal haul was the Philippine men's sepak takraw regu team, composed of Jason Huerte, Glindel Phori, Jom Lerry Rafael, Reynaldo Asilum Jr., and Ronsited Gabayeron.