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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider John Cabang finds redemption in SEAG gold after injury-riddled Paris stint

John Cabang finds redemption in SEAG gold after injury-riddled Paris stint

Published Dec 13, 2025 09:27 am

At A Glance

  • BANGKOK – Filipino hurdler John Cabang Tolentino was relieved to find his own redemption in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games after missing out on the repechage – and ultimately the chance for a podium – in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

BANGKOK – Filipino hurdler John Cabang Tolentino was relieved to find his own redemption in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games after missing out on the repechage – and ultimately the chance for a podium – in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Tolentino not only bagged his first-ever SEA Games gold medal but also broke a 10-year-old record in the men’s 110-hurdles to somehow get the unfinished business done after sustaining an injury that prevented him from finishing his stint in Paris.

“It is really an honor to raise the flag on top of the podium and also hit the SEA Games record so I'm super happy,” said Tolentino, who clocked 13.66 seconds to beat the previous SEAG record of 13.69 set in 2015 by Thai hurdler Jamras Ridditet.

It’s been a long road to recovery for Tolentino after hurting his hip adductors during the Olympics. He admitted to struggling in the Asian Championships and even in the Philippine National Open.

“It has been a very, very bad year, rough but (just) being resilient in those competitions like Asian Championships, even the national championships,” said Tolentino.

“After that, we have been doing small steps to adjust and have a very good set up for this SEA games  and now I’m ready for the Asian Games,” he declared.

It was Tolentino's first gold in the national tri-colors after only finishing with bronze in the last edition in Cambodia and in the Asian Indoor in Tehran, Iran in 2024.

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