HIGHLIGHTS: Team PH in the 31st Southeast Asian Games
The Philippines is out to increase its medal haul at the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam from May 12 to May 23.
The biennial meet was originally slated for Nov. 21 to Dec. 2, in 2021, but was rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The country won the overall title when it was the host country in 2019, collecting 149 golds, 117 silvers, and 121 bronzes.
For the Vietnam event, the Philippines has so far secured at least 201 medals, including 47 golds.
Here are some of the highlights of the affair.
Team Philippines finishes at fourth place in 31st SEA Games
The Philippines finished in fourth place in the 31st Southeast Asian Games Official Medal Tally with a total of 52 gold medals, 70 silvers, and 104 bronzes.
A total of 11 countries joined in the biennial meet.
The country won a total of 219 medals, trailing behind this year’s host country Vietnam (437 medals), Thailand (323), and Indonesia (235).
The Philippine Sports Commission greeted the winning representatives when they arrived home brandishing their hard-earned medals.
A handful of athletes are now gearing up for the 2024 Summer Olympics held in Paris, France.
Gilas Pilipinas ends 33-year SEA Games gold reign after bowing down to Indonesia
Gilas Pilipinas nabbed a silver medal for the first time in 33 years after losing to the Indonesian Men’s Basketball team, 85-81, at the Thanh Tri Gymnasium in Hanoi, Vietnam.
The nail-biting game is the first time the Philippines failed to nab a SEA Games basketball gold since 1989 when they faced then-host country, Malaysia.
"First of all, I thanked them for their effort, for giving their best,” Coach Chot Reyes said after the game. "And I apologized for not preparing them well enough to get the job done.”
"I said that this time we're going to meet a lot of adversity and regardless of how painful the adversity is, we just need to find a way to bounce back, to recover and stand up.”
Team Philippines is ending their 31st SEA Games run with one gold medal in basketball after the Gilas Pilipinas Women clinched first place with a 4-1 winning slate.
Gilas Pilipinas Women take home basketball gold
Gilas Pilipinas Women scored another gold medal for the Philippines.
The team attempted to clinch five golds at the 31st SEA Games, but didn't manage to win over Malaysia in a 96-93 loss at the women's basketball tournament on Sunday, May 22.
They, however, are still assured of gold due to their 4-1 record.
The Malaysian squad, meanwhile, had a 3-2 slate in their SEA Games campaign.
Gilas women's team falls short against Malaysia, 96-93, but still secured the gold medal with a 4-1 slate.
— The Philippine Star (@PhilippineStar) May 22, 2022
That's back-to-back gold medals for the Philippines since 2019. | via @bryanulanday pic.twitter.com/29M66LZogf
PH team adds 2 golds, 3 silvers, and 1 bronze to SEA Games medal haul
The Philippine team is keeping the ball rolling on the ninth day of the Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam today, May 21.
As of 2 p.m., the players have added four golds, three silvers, and one bronze to the country's medal haul.
Billiards world pool champion Rubilen Amit got the Philippines off to a good start with her back-to-back gold medals at the Women’s 10-Ball Pool Singles event today. The 40-year-old billiards player topped Chezka Centeno in the all-Filipino finals held at the Ha Dong Gymnasium.
Centeno, on the other hand, bagged the silver medal in the same competition. Amit's gold medal is her second in the Games, following her victory in the Women's 9-Ball Pool Singles Finals on Friday.
Championing another all-Filipino finals are the tennis duo Treat Huey and Ruben Gonzales. Bo clinched the country's second gold for the day after defeating silver medalists Jeson Patrombon and Francis Casey Alcantara in the Men's Doubles event.
Adding to the Philippines' silver medal haul is the women's chess team, consisting of Woman FIDE Master Shania Mae Mendoza and Woman Grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna n the women’s Team blitz event.
Meanwhile, their male counterpart, International Masters Daniel Quizon and Jan Emmanuel Garcia won bronze medals in the Men’s Team blitz today.
All-Filipino pool players to face off in 31st SEAG billiards finals
This year’s SEA Games 10-ball singles will see an all-Pinoy set of athletes battle it out for the finals at the Ha Dong Gymnasium in Vietnam.
For the Men’s Singles, reigning US Open champion Carlo Biado will compete against Johann Chua. Chua had bested Biado in this year’s 9-ball singles event to earn his first SEA Games gold medal.
Meanwhile, the Women’s event will see 9-ball gold medalist Rubilen Amit up against Chezka Centeno. The two had faced off in numerous SEA Games events from 2015 to 2019.
JUST IN: It will be an All-Filipino finals for Team Philippines in the #SEAGames31 Men’s and Women’s 10-Ball Singles! 🇵🇭
— Philippine Sports Commission (@psc_gov) May 20, 2022
The men’s finals will once again feature US Open champ Carlo Biado and Johann Chua, who won the gold in the men’s 9-ball event last Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/7RJR2ZntAL
PH's Team SIBOL remains undefeated in SEA Games' Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
Philippine esports Team SIBOL has retained their title in Mobile Legends Bang Bang as they bagged another gold medal during the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam.
The team, represented by Blacklist International, defeated rivals Indonesia, 3-1, in a best-of-five finals.
Hidilyn Diaz bags PH weightlifting gold in 31st SEA Games tilt
Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz has once again brought the country another gold medal during her 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Diaz successfully made her mark in the women’s 55kg weightlifting category after clearing her first two attempts by lifting 90kgs and 92kgs respectively in the snatch event.
Muay Thai tandem of Erika Bomogao and Richein Yosorez clinch gold on first day of martial arts event
The young Women’s Waikru Mai Muay tandem of Islay Erika Bomogao and Richein Yosorez have earned the Philippine’s first gold on the first day of the Muay Thai events.
The pair edged out Vietnam representatives Thi Diem Trang Pham and Thi Bich Lieu Pham with a score of 8.68. Thailand's Maiwadee Heetnoo and Thanawan Thongduang settled for third in the event held at the Vinh Phuc Gymnasium.
Bomogao and Yosarez were initially set for the silver medal, but the Muay Thai Association of the Philippines questioned the move after reviewing the match. The home bets of Vietnam were then set back to second place.
Pool champ Rubilen Amit defends title, nabs PH’s first 31st SEAG billiards gold
World pool champion Rubilen Amit has earned Team Philippines’ first gold medal in billiards this 31st SEA Games.
Amit dominated the Women’s 9-ball event after besting Singapore’s Jessica Hui Ming in the finals match-up with a solid 7-2 win. She earned the same gold in the last 2019 SEA Games.
Rubilen brought home three medals during the 30th SEA Games—nabbing two golds in the Women's Singles and Doubles and a silver in the Women’s 10-ball event.
Her win serves as Team Philippines’ 31st gold medal.
𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐓! 🇵🇭🥇
— Philippine Sports Commission (@psc_gov) May 17, 2022
Rubilen Amit gives Team Philippines its first gold medal in Billiards in the Women’s 9-Ball Pool Singles Finals against Jessica Tan of Singapore at #SEAGames31. Congratulations!
Mabuhay ang #GalingNgAtletangPinoySaHanoi! #parasainangbayan pic.twitter.com/3soJKyK3QF
Medalists arrive home in PH repping gold
ICYMI, athletes from the country’s Philippine Triathlon, Duathlon, Artistic Gymnastics, Dancesport teams have arrived back in the Philippines brandishing their well-earned medals.
The athletes were greeted by the Philippine Sports Commission as a number of other potential medalists are still headed to Hanoi, Vietnam for their events in weightlifting, cycling, and esports.
As of writing, Team PH sits at the third spot of the 31st SEA Games medal tally with 113 medals overall—30 golds, 35 silvers, and 48 bronze wins.
Chloe Isleta nabs PH’s first 31st SEA Games swimming gold
The country has won its first gold medal in swimming during the 31st SEA Games courtesy of 23-year-old swimmer, Chloe Isleta.
Isleta placed first in the Women’s 200-meter backstroke event at 2:18.6 seconds. Indonesia’s Nurul Fajar Fitriyati nabbed the silver with an exciting 1-second gap at 2:19.79 . Thailand’s Mia Millar placed third at 2:19.9.
The last time the Philippines nabbed a gold medal in swimming was in 2019 after Fil-Am James Deiparine ended the country’s 10-year-drought.
Carlos Yulo ends his 31st SEA Games run with a 5-gold finish
Carlos Edriel Yulo ended his stellar SEA Games streak with a total of five gold meals after nabbing first place in the Men's Vault and Men’s High Bar categories.
The 22-year-old powered through all three of his events on the last day of the campaign. He earned 14.800 points in the men’s vault, besting Thailand's Tikumporn Surintornta at second place and fellow Filipino Juancho Besana at third.
Meanwhile, he tied with Vietnam’s Ding Phuong Thanh in the high bar event with 13.687 points. The two athletes earned a gold medal each. Yulo remains one of the best gymnasts to beat after he also dominated the floor exercise, men's all-around, and rings events.
Live Updates
PH sweeps Malaysia in women's beach volleyball
The Philippine women's beach volleyball team crushed Malaysia with a 2-0 sweep at the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam on May 16.
Sisi Rondina and Bernadette Pons had a commanding 21-11, 21-9 victory against Aina Ahmad Nizar and Maegan Beh Jia Yin.
Jovelyn Gonzaga and Dij Rodriguez also overpowered Foo Sin Xi and Sin Sing Yee with a 21-14, 21-9 victory.
The Filipino volleybelles on May 15 opened their SEA Games campaign by sweeping Singapore.
The team is next set to battle Malaysia tomorrow, May 17. The country with the most number of wins in the single-round robin competition will eventually take home the gold.
PH ends 11-year drought in bowling after Merwin Tan's gold
Bowler Merwin Tan bagged the gold medal at the men's singles event at the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam, ending an 11-year bowling drought in the biennial meet.
Tan scored 1,292 points to win the gold, besting 11 other competitors.
Thailand's Yannaphon Larpapharat settled for silver with 1,286 points, while Indonesia's Ryan Leonard Lalisang had bronze with 1,221.
Tan's win was the country's first since Frederick Ong struck gold in 2011 in Jakarta.
Carlos Yulo secures another gold in men's floor exercise
Gymnast Carlos Yulo just secured another gold medal for the Philippines during the men's floor exercise.
Yulo had a final score of 15.200 in the event, beating Singapore's Terry Wei-an Tay who got 14.033 and Vietnam's Khang Trinh Hai who had 14.000.
Last May 13, Yulo also won gold in the men's individual all-around gymnastics with 85.150 points, defeating hometown bets Le Thanh Tung (84.050) and Dinh Phuong Thanh (82.450).
He, however, settled for silver in the men's team event alongside Jan Gwynn Timbang, Juancho Besana, John Ivan Cruz, Justine Ace De Leon, and John Matthew Vergara.
PH climbs to second spot in SEA Games medal tally
The Philippines has climbed to the second spot of the 31st Southeast Games medal tally.
As of May 15, at 2:00PM, the country has earned a total of 55 medals—14 golds, 19 silvers, and 22 bronzes.
In terms of gold medal hauls, tied with Indonesia and Thailand, which are ranked second and third, respectively.
Host country Vietnam is on top of the leaderboard with 103 medals—40 golds, 32 silvers, and 31 bronzes.
Timor Leste is at rock bottom, having won nothing just yet.
Eleven nations are participating in the biennial meet.
Gilas Pilipinas settles for bronze in men's 3x3 event, misses podium finish in women's event
The Gilas Pilipinas men's basketball team settled for bronze in the 3x3 event after overpowering Indonesia, 14 to 10.
The women's national team, meanwhile, failed to secure a podium finish against Indonesia after a 10 to 16 loss.
The performances were a far cry from the 2019 SEA Games, when the Philippines as host country bagged gold in both divisions.
Thailand secured gold in this year's 3x3 events, while host country Vietnam won silver.
PH wins 2 golds, 1 silver in jiu jitsu
Meggie Ochoa and Annie Ramirez each struck gold in their respective divisions in women's jiu jitsu.
Ochoa ruled the women's 48kg event, while Ramirez topped the women's 62kg event.
Carlo Angelo Peña, meanwhile, secured a silver in the men's 62kg event.
Carlos Yulo wins gymnastics gold, PH team clinches silver
Carlos Yulo struck gold in the men's individual all-around gymnastics at the 31st SEA Games in Vietnam on May 13, while the Philippine men's gymnastic team snagged a silver medal.
The 22-year-old Olympian scored 85.150 points, beating out Vietnam's Le Thanh Tung (84.050) and Dinh Phuong Thanh (82.450).
Kim Mangrobang earns two gold medals after duathlon win
Kim Mangrobang just got two gold medals at the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam, emerging as the country's first-ever multiple gold medalist in this year's biennial meet.
Mangrobang topped the women's individual duathlon on May 15, sustaining her momentum at the women's individual triathlon during the previous day, when she won her third straight gold.
Malaysia and Indonesia settled for silver and bronze in Sunday's event.
Agatha Wong bags gold in women's taolu taijijian
Wushu artist Agatha Wong secured the gold for the Philippines during the women's taolu taijijian event of the 2022 Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam on May 15.
Wong scored 9.71, beating locals Thi Minh Huyen Tran and Thi Kieu Trang Tan, who got 9.70 and 9.69, respectively.
Wong bounced back from May 14's taolu taijiquan event, where she settled for silver.
This is her second gold in taolu taijijian, bagging the first one during the 2019 SEA Games in the country.
EJ Obiena claims gold, sets new record in SEA Games
Ernest John Obiena continues to take his pole vaulting prowess to greater heights.
The Filipino Olympian swiftly clinched a gold medal at the 31st Southeast Asian Games as he cleared a height of 5.46 meters in a single attempt during the men's pole vault competition.
His point broke his own record of 5.45m in the SEA Games in 2019.
Philippines earns golden sweep in SEA Games triathlon
It's a golden sweep for the Philippine triathlon team at the 31st SEA Games.
Fer Casares bagged gold in the men's race after finishing at 1 hour, 56 minutes, and 57 seconds while his teammate Kim Remolino came second with 1 hour, 59 minutes, and 16 seconds.
Kim Mangrobang, meanwhile, dominated the women's triathlon with her third straight gold at the competition held at the Tuan Chau in Quang Ninh. Fellow triathlete and first-time SEA Games contender Raven Alcoseha copped the women's bronze.
Francine Padios takes home Team PH's first gold
Pencak Silat athlete Francine Padios bagged the Philippines' first gold medal at the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam on May 11.
The Filipina representative edged out Indonesia's Pupsa Arum Sari in the Pencak Silat Women's Seni (artistic) Tunggal single event with a score of 9,960 to 9,945.
Malacañang and the Philippine Sports Commission extended their congratulations to Padios following her win.
"The Palace congratulates Mary Francine Padios for bringing pride and glory to the country by winning the first gold medal for the Philippines," said acting presidential spokesperson Sec. Martin Andanar.
