The Philippine beach volleyball team boosted its Southeast Asian Games preparations after clinching two golds, one silver and two bronze medals at the 2022 Australia Beach Volleyball Tour Championships at the Coolangatta Beach in Brisbane, Australia over the weekend.
Jovelyn Gonzaga and Dij Rodriguez squeaked past local bets Alice Zeimann and Anna Donlan, 18-21, 21-19, 15-13, to capture the Women’s Challenger Division I gold medal.
Partnering for the first time, Gonzaga and Rodriguez finished the division undefeated in five matches.
Ranran Abdilla and Jaron Requinton also won the gold medal with a 22-20, 21-17 decision over Issa Batrane and Frederick Bialokoz in the Men’s Challenger Division I to also finish undefeated in the three-day tournament.
Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons yielded to Nikki Laird and Phoebe Bell, 21-18, 21-12, to settle for silver in the Women’s Elite group.
Nene Bautista and Gen Eslapor, who are also pairing for the first time, scored a 21-13, 21-19 victory over Saskia De Haan and Lisa-marie Moegle to settle for bronze in Women's Challenger Division I.
Also bagging the bronze are Pemie Bagalay and James Buytrago, who prevailed over Thomas Heptinstall and Jed Walker, 21-17, 21-12, in the Men’s Challenger Division I.
Jude Garcia and Krung Arbasto, the remaining Filipino pair in the tournament, reached the Men's Challenger Division I quarterfinals.
The beach volleyball squads are undergoing a one-month training program in Brisbane for the 31st SEAG set in May. They are supported by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Rebisco, PLDT, Taguig City and the Philippine Olympic Committee.