National teams from arnis and taekwondo became the best performing squads in the regional biennial meet after they collected the most number of gold medals with six apiece.
Arnis, taekwondo athletes shine in SEAG
May 20, 2023 08:45 AM
At a glance
The recent 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia brought out the best from Filipino athletes in their first major international stint for the year.
Olympian Elaine Alora delivered one of the six gold medals won by the Philippine taekwondo team in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games.
National teams from arnis and taekwondo became the best performing squads in the regional biennial meet after they collected the most number of gold medals with six apiece.
Olympians Kurt Barbosa and Elaine Alora anchored the taekwondo crew after ruling their respective weight classes, along with fellow kyorugi athletes Arven Alcantara and Samuel Morrison.
The team also got a big lift from Patrick Perez, who ruled the men’s poomsae individual, and the trio of Jocel Lyn Ninobla, Aidaine Laxa and Nicole Labayne in women’s recognized poomsae.
Arnis, meanwhile, has gold winners Dexler Bolambao, Crisamuel Delfin, Maria Ella Alcoseba, Charlotte Tolentino, Jedah-Mae Soriano and Trixie Lofranco to thank for.
The track and field squad also fueled Team Philippines’ gold-medal assault by bringing home four gold medals including those from Olympian hurdler Eric Cray, who claimed his sixth straight SEAG title in 400-meter hurdles, and world No. 3 pole vaulter EJ Obiena.
Obstacle race athletes also shone by sweeping all four events, as well as boxing, which pocketed four golds courtesy of Tokyo Olympics silver medalists Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio, Ian Clark Bautista and first-timer Paul Julyfer Bascon.
Gymnastics also claimed four golds, two of which from two-time world champion Carlos Yulo.
Exceeding expectations and pulling off surprises, however, are teams from soft tennis and wrestling, which accounted for three and four golds, respectively.
Bien Mañalac and Princess Catindig became double gold medalists after winning the women’s doubles and leading the team event in soft tennis, while teammate Joseph Arcilla shone in the men’s singles.
Alvin Lobreguito, Ronil Tubog, Jason Balabal and Cristina Vergara, meanwhile, ruled their events to banner the wrestling crew, which didn’t win a single gold in the previous edition in Vietnam.