PHNOM PENH. – Gilas Pilipinas put an exclamation point on the country’s campaign Tuesday, thumping a suddenly listless Cambodian side 80-69 to regain the gold medal that matters most to Filipinos in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games here.
The cage win came after arnis and freestyle wrestling delivered a pair of golden wins that raised the country’s total to 56 before 7 p.m.
Another gold, courtesy of Gretel de Paz in the 56kg class of kickboxing low kick event, made it 57 an hour later, well above the 52 gold medals won by the country when it finished fourth overall in the Vietnam Games last year.
Arnis ended the day with another gold in the women’s team anyo non-traditional open weapon category, giving the Pinoy contingent backed by the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee 58 gold medals, 82 silvers and 113 bronze medals at press time, good for fifth overall.
Alvin Lobrequito took the honor of delivering the country’s 52nd gold by humbling his Thai opponent, Nattawut Kaewkhuanchum, 6-2 in the men’s freestyle wrestling event while arnis proponent Trixie Marie Lofranco delivered the 53rd gold by ruling the women’s individual anyo non-traditional open weapon category.
Another arnis entry, Crisamuel Delfin, topped the men’s anyo non-traditional event for the country’s 54th gold and another wrestler, Ronil Tubog, made it 55 by beating Indonesian Zainal Abidin in the men’s freestyle 61kg event, giving the wrestling team its fourth overall gold medal here.
“A lot of people doubted this team the first time we lost. But the first words I told them when we lost was this was the one we could afford. And I thought that was the loss that we needed,” said Gilas coach Chot Reyes, whose wards delivered the 56th gold.
“Win or lose, this was going to be my last SEA Games, I promised I’ll never coach in the SEA Games anymore. At least, I will go out with a gold medal,” Reyes added.
A day after ending the reign of Indonesia via an 84-76 win over last Monday, Gilas hurdled the final obstacle in its bid to reclaim its seat at the high table with a pesky defense that stopped the Cambodians’ usually high-octane offense.
The team’s solid defensive effort was in full display in the second quarter, where it scored 23 while limiting the hosts to just 11 to take a 44-33 halftime lead.
“We kept this team of what, five, six American imports to below 70 points, that is great defense, man,” said Reyes, who got his vindication with the win, after earning the ire of Filipino fans back home when the team lost the basketball gold to Indonesia in last year’s games.
The Philippines has won now 19 of 22 SEA Games men’s basketball titles since 1977.
Vietnam, striking heavily in martial arts, swimming and athletics, retained the overall championship, followed by Thailand, the next host in 2025, Indonesia; and first-time host Cambodia.
Kickboxer Gina Iniong won a silver medal in the kick light under 55kg class while a rush of bronze medals came in various fronts, one of them the bronze won by kickboxer Mikko Camingawan in the men’s under 54kg full contact event.
The Philippine taekwondo team capped a successful campaign here by winning four more bronze medals.
Joseph Chua (men’s under-65kg), Dave Cea (men’s -80kg), Baby Dessica Canabal (women’s -53kg) and Laila Delo (women’s -67kg) delivered podium finishes as the charging jins wrapped up their stint with six gold medals, one silver and eight bronzes.
The Filipinos easily surpassed their 2-5-3 gold-silver-bronze tally last year in Hanoi.
Weightlifter John Dexter Tabique also won a bronze in the men’s 89kg class, Abdul Barode finished third in the PUBG Mobile-Mixed Individual class in esports, judoka John Viron Ferrer also bagged a bronze in the men’s under 90kg class, while the national men’s beach volley team of Alnakran Abdilla, Jaron Requinton, Jaes Butraygo and Jude Garcia won a bronze, the first medal for volleyball here.
