Team PH SEA Games update: Golden Friday for Team Philippines at SEA Games

Thursday unfolded less as a medal rush and more as a turning point for Team Philippines at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games — a day that quietly reshaped the delegation’s trajectory heading into the final stretch in Bangkok. 

On the penultimate day of competition, the Filipinos secured three gold medals that spoke not just of victory, but of continuity, patience, and belief, keeping the country firmly in the conversation as championship events lined up on the horizon.

At the heart of the day was Alex Eala, whose triumph in women’s singles tennis carried the weight of history. 

By reclaiming the gold, Eala ended a 26-year drought for the Philippines in the event, delivering the nation’s first SEA Games women’s singles title since Maricris Fernandez in 1999. It was a moment that confirmed her standing as the region’s premier player and validated years of steady ascent on the international stage.

Tradition held firm elsewhere. The Philippine Blu Boys once again asserted their authority in men’s softball, reclaiming the gold with a performance that reinforced their long-held status as Southeast Asia’s benchmark in the sport. 

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HERSTORY MADE IN THE SANDS🥇🇵🇭

History is made as Alas Pilipinas’ Bernadeth Pons, Sisi Rondina, Dij Rodriguez, and Sunny Villapando strike gold in their Finals debut, claiming the Philippines’ first SEA Games women’s beach volleyball title at the 2025 Thailand edition! pic.twitter.com/5OroL0A5OA

— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) December 19, 2025

STRIKE FOR GOLD 🎳 🥇

The Philippine Bowling Team secured the gold medal in the men’s ten pin team of four event in SEA Games 2025, outscoring host nation Thailand.#2025SEAGames #SEAGames #TibayAtTatag #SEAGames33 #SEAGamesThailand #SEAGames2025 pic.twitter.com/n5TRGDjsAR

— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) December 19, 2025

GLIDE AND CONQUER 🥈➡️🥇❄️

From silver in the 1500m to gold in the 500m, 2024 Winter Youth Olympian Peter Groseclose blazes past the field to top the Men’s Short Track at the SEA Games 2025 Thailand speed skating event!#2025SEAGames #SEAGames #TibayAtTatag #SEAGames33 pic.twitter.com/0JF493vO5J

— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) December 19, 2025

Michael Ver Anton Comalig,  ruled the beach triathlon in modern pentathlon, adding a versatile, multi-discipline flourish to the Philippine campaign.

Those wins nudged the Philippines to a 41-59-126 gold-silver-bronze tally, keeping the delegation in sixth place but within striking distance of fifth-running Malaysia. 

Thailand remains comfortably on top, followed by Indonesia, Vietnam, and Singapore, yet the final-day program presents rare opportunities for movement as several Filipinos step into championship bouts.

Basketball, in particular, has emerged as a centerpiece of that closing push. Both Gilas Men and Gilas Women are now a single win away from gold after hurdling Indonesia in contrasting semifinal tests — a tense 71-68 escape for the men and a composed 66-55 victory for the women. A sweep of the 5-on-5 basketball crowns, last achieved in 2019, is firmly in sight when both teams face host Thailand at the Nimibutr Stadium.

Beyond the hardcourt, medal hopes stretch across disciplines. In boxing, Eumir Marcial, Aira Villegas, EJ Baricuatro, and Flint Jara advanced deep into the competition at the Chulalongkorn University Sports Center. Along the shores of Pattaya, Alas Beach Women prepared for a gold-medal showdown with Thailand, while the Blu Girls lined up to chase a softball sweep against Singapore.

There were also moments defined by resolve rather than gold. Triathlon standout Kira Ellis battled through food poisoning just days before her race and still emerged with a silver medal in the women’s individual event, lifting her SEA Games haul to two golds and three silvers. 

In the boxing ring, Aira Villegas added another chapter to her SEA Games journey, settling for silver in the women’s 48kg division after a razor-thin, unanimous decision loss to Thailand’s Raksat Chuthamat — an improvement on her bronze finish in 2019 and a sign of steady progress. 

Precision joined power in the Philippines’ medal charge as the national bowling team rolled its way to gold in the men’s ten-pin team of four event. 

Rising to the challenge against a partisan crowd, the Filipinos outscored host Thailand with steady frames and timely strikes, reclaiming their place atop Southeast Asian bowling and adding another traditional stronghold to the country’s growing list of gold medal performances at the 2025 SEA Games.

One breakthrough became complete at Jomtien Beach in Chonburi, where Alas Pilipinas finally broke through the regional ceiling in women’s beach volleyball. 

Facing eight-time champion Thailand on Friday, the Filipinas delivered a composed and fearless performance to secure the country’s first-ever SEA Games gold in the discipline. 

Another milestone on ice came courtesy of 2024 Winter Youth Olympian Peter Groseclose, who capped his SEA Games campaign with a statement performance in men’s short track speed skating. After settling for silver in the 1500m earlier in the competition, Groseclose responded with authority in the 500m, surging past the field to seize gold and underline the Philippines’ expanding presence in winter sports on the Southeast Asian stage.

 His late burst and fearless pacing turned the final into a showcase of composure and speed, adding yet another dimension to the country’s medal push in Thailand.

Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons set the tone by outplaying Kongphopsarutawadee Worapeerachayakorn and Taravadee Naraphornrapat in straight sets, 21-17, 21-15, before Dij Rodriguez and Sunny Villapando sealed the historic triumph with a hard-fought three-set win over Tanarattha Udomchavee and Rumpaipruet Numwong, 21-13, 17-21, 15-6 — a defining moment on the sand that capped the Philippines’ growing late surge in Bangkok.

Thursday may not have dazzled the medal table, but its value lay in momentum. With gold within reach across multiple fronts and belief quietly building, Team Philippines enters the final day of the SEA Games with a clear purpose: convert opportunity into outcome and close the regional meet on a strong, defining note.

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