
The Philippine boxing team delivered three gold medals Sunday at the close of the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Rogen Ladon, Ian Clark Bautista and Eumir Marcial pounced on their rivals to add mints in the Team Philippines’ war chest, who are looking for a last push in the overall medal tally.
Ladon punched his way to the gold medal in the men’s -52kg after a close 3-2 victory over Vietnam’s Tha Tran Van, while Bautista routed Myanmar’s Naing Latt, 5-0, to rule the men’s 57kg.
Then it was the turn of Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Eumir Marcial, who dominated Timor Leste’s Anzaqueci Delio Mouzhinho with a first-round stoppage to capture the 69kg title.
The PH team could have made it 4-of-4 but Tokyo Olympian Irish Magno suffered a heartbreaking 5-0 loss to Vietnamese foe Thi Tham Nguyen to settle for the silver medal.
Overall, the Nationals will go home with three gold, one silver and five bronze medals.