THOMASIAN athletes notched decent finishes to contribute to the Philippine team’s 169-medal haul in the 26th Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) hosted by Indonesia from Nov. 11 to 22.
The Philippines finished at sixth place—its worst since 1978—with 36 gold, 56 silver, and 77 gold medals.
Lady Jin Camille Manalo, who was the UAAP 73 Athlete of the Year, won a gold medal in the lightweight division after dumping Thanh Thao Nguyen of Vietnam, 8-3, in SEAG’s tough taekwondo tournament.
“I’m really happy because I’m the first Thomasian to win gold and I know I can leave a memorable experience to my school,” Manalo said. “I’m so proud to give honor to my country considering that it was my first time [in SEA Games].”
Tiger Jin Anthony Soriano settled for second place in the middleweight division after absorbing a 2-6 defeat against Indonesian Basuki Nugroho.
Former Tiger Jin team captain and 2009 SEA Games champion Alexander Briones also took home a silver medal in the heavyweight division.
World Taekwondo Poomsae (forms) silver medalist Marvin Gabriel and bronze medalist Shaneen Sia teamed up to snatch a silver in the
poomsae mixed pair. The 17-year-old Gabriel also brought home a bronze medal in the poomsae men’s individual.
“It’s my first time to join the SEA Games and my parents really motivated me [to win my game],” he said. “But I think I need to improve my skills more, and train harder.”
In baseball, former Golden Sox Francis Candela and UAAP Season 69 MVP Jon-Jon Robles led the Philippine baseball team to its second title. The Filipino batters whipped Indonesia in the finals, 2-0.
Former UST standout Esmeralda Tayag joined the Philippine softball team in snatching its third straight title via 6-0 mercy rule against Thailand last Nov. 19.
In billiards, former World 10-ball champion and three-time SEAG pool queen Rubilen Amit settled for a silver after losing to Iris Ranola, 2-7, in the all-Filipino 9-ball women’s tournament. Ranola was the first Filipino to take home two gold medals after ruling the 8-ball competition as well.
Engelberto Rivera, a 2009 Asian Games gold medalist, paired with fellow national player Frederick Ong to finish second in the male double’s bowling tournament with 2, 490 pin falls. They were 197 points behind Malaysia’s Adrian Ang and Alex Liew, who claimed gold with 2,555 pin falls. Rivera, a College of Tourism and Hospitality Management alumnus, also won a silver in the five-man bowling war with national players Frederick Ong, Raoul Miranda, Apple Posadas, and Rogelio Enriquez.
Rivera, Ong, and Miranda also produced a bronze in the trio bowling event, where they scored 3,628 pins, behind two Malaysian teams which had 3,874 and 3,704 points, respectively.
In fencing, former UST Lady Fencer Harlene Orendain joined forces with Madel Galvez and Michelle Brozula to score bronze in the female epee team division. Vietnam captured the silver medal after defeating the Philippines, 26-25.
In athletics, former Trackster chief Benigno Marayag grabbed a bronze medal in the long jump event with his 7.61-meter effort. He placed third behind Thailand’s Supanara Sukhasvas (7.86 meter), and fellow Filipino athlete Henry Dagmil (7.78 meters).
Ex-Tigershark Michael Romiro Godoy, together with tankers Matthew Rodriguez, Franz Baaco and Leonard Sabelina, salvaged a bronze in the 4×100 men’s relay of fin swimming.
Other Thomasians who participated in the biennial spectacle were Azkals David Basa and OJ Clariño, UST Spikers Henry Pecaña and Aiza Maizo, Judoka Annie Ramirez, Trackster Junrey Bano, former Shuttler Peter Magnaye, and 2009 Laos Games silver medalist Marlon Avenido, who had an early exit to Laos’ Phimmasone Sawad Vilay, 6-9, in the men's under-80 kilograms.
