by Isabella Magno

With a whopping total tally of 116 medals, the Philippines maintained third place at the 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, behind Vietnam and Thailand. As of posting, the Filipino athletes clinched 33 gold, 37 silver, and 46 bronze medals.  

Amit continues to rule nine-ball pool

Women’s nine-ball pool singles star Rubilen Amit seized the first billiards gold of the Philippines in the 31st SEA Games after defeating Singapore’s Jessica Tan in the finals, 7-2. 

Amit successfully defended her title in the women’s nine-ball singles event, marking her eighth SEA Games gold medal. 

PH pair tops women’s muay thai

With an 8.68 score, Islay Erika Bomogao and Rhichein Yosorez of the Philippines soared in the women’s waikru mai event in muay thai.

The Filipino pair bested Vietnam’s bets Thi Diem Trang Pham and Thi Bich Lieu Pham and Thailand’s Mawadee Heetnoo and Thanawan Thongduang, who scored 8.56 and 8.35, respectively.

Cray bags fourth athletics gold for PH

With a recorded time of 50.41 seconds, Eric Cray scratched past Vietnam’s Lich Quang Cong (50.82s) and Singapore’s Jun Jie Calvin Quek (51.19s) in the 400-meter hurdles. This race secured Cray’s fifth straight gold in the event.

ICYMI

As of 7:40 P.M. PST, two additional medals were recorded for the Philippines, as Kurt Barbosa earned a gold medal in taekwondo men’s kyurogi -54 kg, and William Morrison III won a bronze medal in men’s discus throw. 

In fencing, the Philippine team captured a silver medal as the women’s team foil of the country, composed of Samantha Catantan, Maxine Esteban, Wilhelmina Lozada, and Justine Gail Tinio, after being defeated by Singaporean foes, 28-33. 

In athletics, with a recorded time of 56.44 seconds, Robyn Brown finished third behind Vietnam’s Quach Thi Lan (56.33s) and Nguyen Thi Huyen (56.41s), earning her a bronze medal for women’s 400-meter hurdles.

In tennis, Alex Eala advanced to the quarterfinals of women’s single event as she dominated the court against Phonphatehep Philavong of Laos, 6-2, 6-1. 

Eala will be joined in the quarterfinals by her colleague Jenaila Rose Prulla, while reigning men’s double champions Francis Casey Alcantara and Jeson Patrombon also advanced after demolishing Cambodia.

In boxing, Ian Clark Bautista progressed to the men’s featherweight semifinals after defeating Singaporean Mohammad Hanurdeen Bin by unanimous decision.

In men’s billiards, the Philippines is guaranteed to bring home a gold medal in nine-ball pool, as the competitors for the finals are both Filipinos, Carlo Biado and Johann Chua, who both defeated Singaporean opponents in the semifinals.