SEA Games Team Philippines Update: Relay breakthrough, Poomsae gold, record swim & 23-medal haul highlight SEA Games start

Team Philippines delivered one of its strongest opening-day statements in recent SEA Games memory, powered by breakthrough victories, historic finishes, and a record-shattering swim that signaled an electrifying campaign in Bangkok.

The women’s 4x100m freestyle relay team — Kayla Sanchez, Xiandi Chua, Chloe Isleta, and Heather Santos — headlined the day with a stunning 3:44.26 victory, dethroning longtime event rulers Singapore and securing the country’s second gold. 

The win also marked a symbolic shift in regional swimming dominance, with the Philippines reclaiming ground once controlled by its neighbors.

Sanchez followed up in her next event and amplified her impact on the Games.

Less than a day after anchoring the Philippines to relay gold, Sanchez broke the Southeast Asian Games record in the women’s 50m backstroke heats, posting 28.47 seconds and eclipsing the 28.89 mark set by Indonesia’s Masniari Wolf in 2023.

Wolf, who swam alongside her, followed with a 29.20 — further cementing Sanchez’s arrival as one of the must-watch athletes in the meet.

Day One’s first gold, however, came from the mat.

Taekwondo star Justin Kobe Macario delivered the Philippines’ opening gold of the 33rd SEA Games after ruling the men’s freestyle poomsae individual event. 

His crisp execution and aerial control inside a packed Fashion Island Mall revived a tradition of Filipino dominance last seen in 2019, underlining why he is considered one of the program’s top young talents.

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LANGOY TUNGO SA GINTO

Team Philippines, led by Olympian Kayla Sanchez alongside Heather White, Chloe Isleta, and Xiandi Chua, powered their way to GOLD in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay at the SEA Games 2025 Thailand!#SEAGames33 #SEAGames2025 #TibayAtTatag pic.twitter.com/lu2r4aoF8Y

— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) December 10, 2025

GRIP AND GRIND

Marc Alexander Lim clinches another bronze for the Philippines after winning the repechage round of the Men’s jiu-jitsu ne-waza 69kg event at the SEA Games 2025 Thailand!#SEAGames33 #SEAGames2025 #SEAGamesThailand #TibayAtTatag pic.twitter.com/idH54dYJyc

— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) December 11, 2025

The medals stacked up quickly thereafter:

• Silver for the men’s recognized poomsae team of Rodolfo Reyes, King Nash Alcairo, and Ian Corton. 
• Silver for 19-year-old debutant Gian Santos in the men’s 200m IM — an early sign of a rising Filipino swimming star. 
• Bronze medals for MTB downhill’s John Derick Farr, the taekwondo mixed freestyle and mixed recognized pairs, jiu-jitsu’s Godwin Langbayan, both men’s and women’s hoop takraw squads, the Makruk chess team, and other strong supporting finishes. 
• Another cycling bronze arrived on Day 2 via Mark Louwel Valderama in the cross-country eliminator event at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo. 

The Philippine men’s ice hockey team also opened with a resounding 7–2 win over Malaysia, overcoming early penalty struggles — including a brief 4-on-6 disadvantage — behind a three-goal outing from Manny Billones.

By the end of the early events, Team Philippines had amassed a total of 14 medals, reflecting depth across multiple disciplines and providing an encouraging springboard for the days ahead.

With a record-setting swim, multi-sport podiums, and momentum building fast, the Filipino delegation is shaping a promising bid to rise up the medal standings as the 33rd SEA Games unfolds. 

Despite her golden finish not counting toward the Philippines’ official tally, Geli Bulaong’s performance still stands as a redemption story after settling for silver two years ago. 

This time around, Geli Bulaong finished the job.

Two years removed from a stinging silver-medal finish in Cambodia, Bulaong rose to the moment and claimed gold in SEA Games Thailand 2025 after ruling the women’s 60-kg event in the mixed martial arts (MMA) competition on Thursday, December 11. 

Her victory capped another strong showing for the national MMA squad. 

Two years after a painful silver in Cambodia, Geli Bulaong returned to finish what she once couldn’t. In the women’s 60-kg mixed martial arts event, she claimed gold in Thailand, delivering a cathartic performance that restored her place atop the region.

The national MMA squad continued the medal momentum, as Gina Araos (-54 kg), Jean Claude Saclag (-60 kg), and Denzel John Alipio (-65 kg) each secured bronze.

Later, Marc Alexander Lim added another bronze by winning the repechage round of the men’s jiu-jitsu ne-waza 69kg event — a fitting final note on a day defined by resilience and rising stars.

From record-shattering swims to emotional revivals, Team Philippines’ opening days painted a picture of a delegation not just competing — but surging.

And if this is only the beginning, the rest of the 33rd SEA Games may very well belong to the rising tide of Filipino excellence.

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