The Philippines may have fallen short of surpassing its 58-gold medal haul from Cambodia in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games, but the 33rd edition in Thailand still offered shining moments that give Philippine sports fans plenty to look forward to.
Among the most exciting developments was the emergence of young Filipinas who thrived under the bright lights of Southeast Asia’s premier sporting stage.
By winning gold in their respective events, they gave a glimpse of the country’s future potential in international competitions.
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Mazel Alegado, 11 years old
Women’s Park, Extreme Skateboard
It is no longer surprising that Mazel Paris Alegado continues to set records as the youngest to achieve remarkable feats.
At just 9 years old, she competed in the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, making her not only the youngest Filipino but also the youngest participant in the entire competition, where she finished 7th in the women’s park finals.
At this year’s SEA Games, Alegado bested fellow 11-year-old Elizabeth Amador in the women’s park finals, becoming the youngest Filipino gold medalist of the games.
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Naomi Cesar, 16 years old
Women’s 800m, Athletics
The SEA Games hold a special place in Naomi Cesar’s heart. Her father, Ben, represented the Philippines in athletics in the 1990s, while her older sister Malea played a crucial role in the Filipinas’ historic women’s football title run.
Naomi made history herself by becoming the youngest Filipino to win a SEA Games gold medal in athletics, outrunning defending champion Nguyen Thi Thu Ha to claim the women’s 800 meters.
Last October, she also won silver at the Asian Youth Games.
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Sophia Dignadice, 17 years old
Women’s Basketball
High expectations followed Sophia Dignadice from the start, given her famous surname. Her father is a PBA legend and a member of the famed NCC national team and the first all-pro RP Team coached by Sonny Jaworski in 1990.
Sophia proved her pedigree on the court during her debut with Gilas Women. She averaged 10.75 points — the only three-player double-figure scorer — to help the Philippines reclaim the basketball title.
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Tachiana Mangin, 18 years old
Women’s Taekwondo (-49kg)
Tachiana Mangin had already made headlines by winning the 2024 World Taekwondo Junior Championships in South Korea, defeating a local favorite on their home turf.
In Thailand, she overcame Kamonchanok Seeken, a silver medalist in the World and Asian Championships and bronze medalist at the World University Games, to capture the SEA Games gold in the women’s -49kg. Mangin’s 2-0 victory over the hometown favorite underscored her fearlessness and composure.
Alexa Pino, Jael-Marie Guy, Ariana Markey
18 years old – Women’s Football
In a tense penalty shootout for the gold medal, Alexa Pino, Jael-Marie Guy, and Ariana Markey showcased remarkable composure and delivered crucial goals.
These young talents had already made their mark in earlier matches: Pino scored a hat trick, Markey scored against Malaysia, and Guy netted the game-tying goal against Vietnam while also scoring in the semifinals shootout.
Alongside teammates Isabella Pasion (19), Azumi Oka (19), and Nina Mathelus (17, injured early), they represent a promising pipeline for the future of Filipinas football.
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Erin Micor, 17 years old
Women’s Open Individual, Practical Shooting
In practical shooting — a debut event at the SEA Games — 17-year-old Erin Micor stunned her more experienced rivals with precision and speed, contributing to one of the Philippines’ four gold medals in the discipline.
Micor’s victory comes on the heels of her silver medal performance in the Junior Category of the IPSC Handgun World Shoot, proving she is ready to excel at the senior level.
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Jasmine Ramilo, 17 years old
Women’s All-Around, Rhythmic Gymnastics
Jasmine Ramilo already made history at 15 by winning bronze in Clubs at the 2023 Asian Championships, becoming the first Filipina medalist in the event.
Born to Filipino parents in Rome, where she trains, Ramilo is a two-time World Cup and World Championships competitor. Despite a last-minute mix-up with her hoop apparatus song, she persevered to claim SEA Games gold in the Women’s All-Around, narrowly defeating Singapore’s Mikayla Angeline Yang.
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Kira Ellis, 19 years old
Triathlon & Aquathlon
Kira Ellis had an outstanding SEA Games, winning two gold medals in the All Women Relay and Mixed Team Relay, alongside three bronze medals in other events. She narrowly missed a third gold after food poisoning sidelined her two days before the Women’s Individual event, yet she finished just 51 seconds behind the gold medalist.
Ellis had already proven herself internationally, winning the 2025 Europe Triathlon Junior Cup in Latvia and finishing 27th at the World Triathlon Junior Championships in Australia.
