The Philippines made history on Day 8 of the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games winning golds in track and field, softball, baseball, e-sports, golf, squash, surfing, rowing, waterski and wakeboard, soft tennis, rugby, skateboarding, golf, and billiards.
The foursome tracksters of Filipino Olympian Eric Cray, Asiad champion Kristina Knott, Anfernee Lopena, and Eloiza Luzon capped the big day with a big win in 4x100m mixed relay gold at the New Clark City Stadium.
William Morrison III broke regional records registered 18.38 meters on his third throw in the shot put event, eclipsing the 17.74 meters set by Thailand’s Chatchawal Polyiam in 2011.
Natalie Uy broke her record in the pole vault event, as she cleared 4.20 meters on her 10th jump. She went for the record in her 11th jump, clearing 4.25 meters to break Sukanya Chomchuendee’s 4.21 meters in 2013.
Heptathlete Sarah Dequinan also added to the country’s gold haul, ending with an aggregate score of 5,101.
Sibol, the national eSports team, made history as well as it grabbed the first eSports gold medal in SEA Games history after beating Indonesia, 3-2, in the gold medal match.
The Philippine women’s softball team, also known as the Blu Girls, bagged their 10th straight SEA Games gold.
The national baseball team also bagged their third straight SEA Games gold.
Asian Games medalists, like jin Pauline Lopez, and the golf duo of Bianca Pagdanganan and Lois Kaye Go, also dominated their own events to win gold.
Surfing hero Roger Casugay clinched his gold medal today in the longboard open. Prior to bagging the gold, Casugay won hearts for helping his Indonesian opponent when the latter encountered a problem while surfing for the gold.
Skateboarding gave the Philippines two golds: Christiana Mean for the women’s and Jericho Francisco for the men’s park skateboarding events,
Ariel Lee Lampacan fought back from a first-round deficit by taking the next two to edge Thai Sakchai Chamchit by the slimmest of margins, 29-28, and deliver the country’s 100th gold medal.
Rubilen Amit beat compatriot Chezka Centeno to win the women’s 9-ball singles finals gold.
Taekwondo captured three in kyorugi (sparring) with Pauline Lopez trouncing Cambodia’s Aliza Chhoeung, 12-4, for the women’s under 57kg gold; Samuel Morrison overpowering Joshua Abdullah, 30-8, for the men’s under-80kg gold; and Dave Cea ripping Thai Nutthawee Klompong with a 10-point
assault in the first round to clinch the men’s under-74kg gold.
The Philippine men’s volleyball team pulled off an upset against defending champs Thailand in a thrilling five-setter, 17-25, 25-20, 23-25, 27-25, 17-15, for a chance to get a SEA Games gold.
Gilas Pilipinas Women, on the other hand, defeated defending champs Malaysia 81-75 to enter the gold medal match, with Afril Bernardino delivering a monster performance of 18 points and 19 rebounds.
Staying on top of the medalist standings with 113 gold, 87 silver, and 88 bronze medals, the Philippines has matched and is set to exceed its 113 gold medals from the 2005 SEA Games with 3 days left in the competition.
The 2019 SEA Games is holding the biggest edition of the biennial meet with 530 events in 56 sports in sports hubs located in Manila, Southern Luzon and La Union, Subic, and at the New Clark City. The 30th edition will wrap up on December 11, 2019, with a Closing Ceremony slated at the New Clark City.
CHECK OUT the Recaps of 2019 SEA Games DAY 1, DAY 2, DAY 3, DAY 4, DAY 5, DAY 6, DAY 7 here.
SEND cheers to Team Philippines in the comments below as they continue their campaign to keep the top spot in the medal standings at the 2019 SEA Games!
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