Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons reflect on long road to historic SEA Games gold

Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons savored a historic moment at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand, capturing the gold medal in women’s beach volleyball.

The tandem, affectionately known as “SiPons,” shared heartfelt reflections on their social media accounts, celebrating the realization of a long-held dream and the pride of singing the Philippine national anthem at the awarding ceremony. Their gold comes after years of perseverance, following bronze medals at the 2019 SEA Games in Subic and the 2021 edition in Vietnam.

For Pons, the journey to gold was a testament to persistence and teamwork. She acknowledged the support of teammates Dij Rodriguez and Sunny Villapando, who helped clinch the decisive victory in Game 2.

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“This was just a dream six years ago. [In] 2019 when we won our first SEA Games medal (Bronze). That was the first time I learned that when you become champions, they will raise the flag and you’ll sing your National Anthem from the top of the podium,” Pons wrote. “At that very moment, I told myself that ‘Someday, the Philippine Flag will be up there.’ It took six years. Years filled with setbacks, failures, disappointments, and pain. But through consistent hard work, discipline, determination, faith, and God’s Grace, nothing is impossible! Every setback was truly a setup for a comeback. Every ‘no’ led us closer to this ‘YES!’ Surround yourself with believers, trust the process, keep pushing limits, and never give up on your dreams. Finally, that ‘someday’ has turned into reality.”

Sisi Rondina reflects on Alas Pilipinas’ journey in women’s beach volleyball at the SEA Games, emphasizing the challenges they faced on their way to winning historic gold at the 2025 edition in Thailand, while expressing gratitude to those who supported and believed in them. pic.twitter.com/8kdqMooWy2

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Rondina echoed the sentiment, highlighting how her beach volleyball career evolved from a necessity to a calling.

“My first SEA Games journey was born out of necessity, not ambition. Beach volleyball was never part of the plan. It was a path I chose just to survive, to give back, to stay strong for the people who believed in me even when I struggled to believe in myself. I never imagined that this road would lead me here,” Rondina said.

“From where I once stood, this stage felt unreachable — too distant, too high, too unreal. The journey was filled with early mornings, endless sacrifices, pain, fear, and moments of doubt. There were days when giving up felt easier than holding on to faith. Yet in those moments, God’s grace quietly carried me forward,” she added, thanking her coaches and teammates for creating an environment “filled with belief, love, and hope.”

Rondina reflected on how the experience transformed her perspective.

“What once was survival became purpose. What once was hardship became strength. And what once was effort became faith. Standing at my first SEA Games, I realized I was no longer playing only for my family, but for the version of myself who once believed this life was impossible. I was playing for every sacrifice, every prayer, and every step that led us here,” she said.

Pons and Rondina, both MVPs in the Premier Volleyball League—Pons with Creamline and Rondina with Choco Mucho—decided to return to the national beach volleyball team after flourishing in the PVL. Their gold-medal triumph at the SEA Games represents not just a personal milestone but a new chapter in Philippine beach volleyball.

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