The 31st SEA Games 2022 has commenced in Hanoi, Vietnam. What can viewers and supporters expect this year? Check out the event highlights below!
Olympic gold medalists such as Hidilyn Diaz of the Philippines and Singapore’s Joseph Schooling will set the bar high, while world champions Loh Kean Yew of badminton and Carlos Yulo of gymnastics will be looking to add to their continental championships.
We’re also in for a taste of real sporting action with the likes of Malaysia’s two-time Olympic diving medalist Pandelela Rinong, Indonesia’s next-gen badminton team, Thailand’s Pleumjit Thinkaow, and the Philippines’ Alyssa Valdez, who will brighten the volleyball court.
Here are some of the 31st SEA Games 2022 event highlights:
FILIPINO BOXERS PUNCHED THEIR WAY TO THREE SEA GAMES GOLD MEDALS, LED BY EUMIR MARCIA – May 22, 2022
Filipino boxers Eumir Marcial, Rogen Ladon, and Ian Clark Bautista win gold in their respective weight classes as the Philippines surpasses the 50-gold mark in the Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam on Sunday, May 22, 2022.
Marcial easily defeated Timor Leste’s Delio Anzaqeci Mouzinho in the first round to win his fourth straight SEA Games gold and third in a row in the middleweight division.
Ladon also won gold in the men’s -52kg final, defeating home favorite Tran Van Thao of Vietnam.
Fighting in front of a Tran-supporting crowd at Bac Ninh Stadium, Ladon earned a split decision victory by receiving votes from three of the five judges.
Bautista also finally broke through, winning his first gold medal in the biennial meet.
Bautista won the men’s -57kg title by unanimous decision over Myanmar’s Naing Latt.
Overall, the Philippines won 3 golds, 1 silver, and 5 bronze medals, as all nine Filipino boxers who competed in Vietnam won medals.
GILAS WOMEN WIN BASKETBALL GOLD FOR THE SECOND TIME DESPITE A LOSS TO MALAYSIA – May 22, 2022
The Gilas Women successfully defended their Southeast Asian Games title despite a heartbreaking 93-96 loss to Malaysia on Sunday, May 22, 2022.
Gilas Pilipinas Women finished the season with a 4-1 record, clinching the gold medal with a win over Singapore on Saturday. The basketball tournament has a single-round format, with the team with the best record winning the championship.
The veteran trio of Afril Bernardino, Janine Pontejos, and Chack Cabinbin came through halfway through the final period, regaining control of the game against the Malaysians at a critical juncture.
However, Lee Phei Ling of Malaysia spoils the game as she hits a clutch lay-up with 1:05 remaining to tie things up at 93-all.
Chong Yin Yin then hit a triple to pull the rug out from under the Filipinos, who had tournament highs from Gabi Bade and Ella Fajardo.
It was still a commendable performance for Pat Aquino’s Gilas women, who had been beating nations by 22.5 points prior to the loss to Malaysia.
It is also worth noting that the Nationals successfully defended their title despite the absence of cornerstones Jack Danielle Animam and Filipino-American big Kelly Hayes.
GILAS WOMEN STAYS UNBEATEN – May 20, 2022
The Gilas Women maintained their unbeaten record in the Southeast Asian Games with a 118-87 victory over host Vietnam on Thursday, May 19.
Khate Castillo led the team as she was on fire at the start of the game. Unfazed by the loud Vietnamese crowd at Thanh Tri Gymnasium, Castillo drained three consecutive triples in the first six minutes to spark a 40-point first-quarter explosion that propelled the Philippines to a 3-0 lead.
Castillo finished with a team-high 25 points on an ultra-efficient 7-of-11 shooting from deep as defending champion Gilas Women won half of their five-team round-robin tournament.
The Philippines is the only undefeated team in Vietnam after Indonesia defeated previously unbeaten Malaysia 52-70 earlier on Thursday.
#SEAGames31 UPDATE: Hidilyn Diaz notches the Philippines’s first gold medal in weightlifting, ruling the 55 kg event in Hanoi, Vietnam on Friday (May 20, 2022). | via PSC-POC #LabanAtletangPinoySaHanoi pic.twitter.com/4f4sfvQckK
— Phil News Agency (@pnagovph) May 20, 2022
GILAS PILIPINAS BEATS SINGAPORE TO MAINTAIN ITS PERFECT RECORD IN SEA GAMES GOLD QUEST – May 18, 2022
Gilas Pilipinas won another rout, this time over Singapore, to remain undefeated in the Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam on Wednesday, May 18.
#SEAGames31 FINAL
— GILAS PILIPINAS ARMY (@gilasarmy) May 18, 2022
88 – Gilas Pilipinas ??
37 – Singapore ??
RR 19 Francis 18, Matthew 11, Jaydee 11, JMF 8, Kiefer 5, Mo 5, Thirdy 5, Will 2, GIG 2, Troy 2
3-0#LabanPilipinas #ParasaBayan #GilasPilipinas pic.twitter.com/PjaG2AXWrE
Gilas Pilipinas, fresh off a 68-point thrashing of Cambodia, defeats Singapore by 51 points to move to 3-0. The score was 88-37.
Roger Pogoy and Francis “LeBron” Lopez led the Philippines with 19 and 18 points, respectively. The Filipinos jumped out to a 15-1 lead en route to the 51-point victory, moving them closer to a 14th straight gold medal.
FIRST GOLD IN MARTIAL ART EVENT – May 18, 2022
During the first day of the Muay Thai events, the young Women’s Waikru Mai Muay duo of Islay Erika Bomogao and Richein Yosorez secured the Philippines’ first gold.
After evaluating the match, the Muay Thai Association of the Philippines questioned Bomogao and Yosarez’s selection for the silver medal. Vietnam’s home bets were, therefore, dropped to the second position.
RUBILEN AMIT DEFENDS HER TITLE IN THE NINE-BALL GOLD – May 17, 2022
Rubilen Amit won the first billiards gold for the Philippines in Vietnam, defending her title in women’s nine-ball singles.
In the finals, Amit defeated Singapore’s Jessica Tan 7-2, making her an eight-time SEA Games gold medalist.
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— Philippine Sports Commission (@psc_gov) May 17, 2022
Rubilen Amit gives Team Philippines its first gold medal in Billiards in the Women’s 9-Ball Pool Singles Finals against Jessica Tan of Singapore at #SEAGames31. Congratulations!
Mabuhay ang #GalingNgAtletangPinoySaHanoi! #parasainangbayan pic.twitter.com/3soJKyK3QF
BRONZE MEDAL FOR JERICHO RIVERA – May 17, 2022
Kudos to Jericho Rivera, who won the bronze medal for Team Philippines in the 31st Sea Games Cycling MTB Cross Country event.
CHLOE ISLETA GETS PH FIRST GOLD IN SWIMMING – May 16, 2022
Chloe Isleta, a 23-year-old swimmer, has won the country’s first gold medal in swimming at the 31st Southeast Asian Games.
Isleta wins the first gold medal for Team Philippines in the Women’s 200m Backstroke event at 2:18.6 seconds.
CARLOS YULO FINISH HIS 31st SEA GAMES WITH A 5 GOLD MEDAL – May 16, 2022
Carlos Edriel Yulo finished his SEA Games run with five gold medals after winning first place in the Men’s Vault and Men’s High Bar events.
DANCESPORT DUO
Stephanie De Leon and Michael Angelo Marquez won another gold medal in Latin dance, putting the Philippines in 20th place overall.
BOWLING
Merwin Tan ended Team Philippines’ 11-year SEA Games gold medal streak in men’s singles bowling.
Tan won gold with 1,292 points, beating out 11 other competitors.
Tan’s victory was the country’s first since Frederick Ong won gold in Jakarta in 2011.
WOMEN’S BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Both of the Philippines’ women’s volleyball teams won their preliminary round matches, defeating Malaysia.
Malaysia is swept by the Philippines in women’s beach volleyball.
As of May 16, the Philippine women’s beach volleyball team swept Malaysia 2-0 in the Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam.
GILAS WOMEN
Afril Bernardino went with a double-double as the Gilas Women led a big third-quarter run to a 93-77 victory over Indonesia in the women’s basketball opener.
On Monday morning at the Thanh Tr District Sporting Hall in Hanoi, Vietnam, the Gilas Pilipinas Women used a strong third quarter to break away from Indonesia and win 93-77.
It was a bright start for the Filipinas in the 31st Southeast Asian Games, as they are aiming to defend their gold medal from Manila in 2019.
ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS
Carlos Yulo, a Filipino gymnast, won another gold medal in the men’s floor exercise.
Yulo won the tournament with a final score of 15.200, beating Singapore’s Terry Wei-an Tay (14.033) and Vietnam’s Khang Trinh Hai (14.000).
PH WON TWO GOLDS AND ONE SILVER IN JIU JITSU
Meggie Ochoa and Annie Ramirez both won gold in women’s jiu jitsu in their respective classes.
Ramirez won the women’s 62kg event, while Ochoa won the women’s 48kg event.
JIU JITSU MEN’s
Meanwhile, Carlo Angelo Pea won silver in the men’s 62kg event.
Golf, swimming, athletics, fencing, and dancesport are among the other sports in which the Philippines hopes to win gold on Monday. For more 31st SEA Games 2022 event highlights, follow this page. – WhatALife!
Source: (philstarlife.com), (rappler.com), (olympics.com)
Also Read: NCR, other areas remain under Alert Level 1 from May 16 to 31
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