When Jaclyn Sawicki stepped up to the penalty spot in the sixth round of sudden death during the 33rd Southeast Asian Games final against Vietnam, the weight of a nation — and decades of dreams — rested squarely on her shoulders.
The 32-year-old veteran midfielder didn’t flinch.
With a decisive strike of her right foot, she buried the Filipinas’ final penalty into the top-left corner, setting up goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel’s golden save and securing a thrilling 6-5 shootout victory. History was made.
For Sawicki, the triumph was the crowning moment of an extraordinary year, one that saw her represent the Philippines in the 2025 FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup on home soil before heading to Thailand for the SEA Games.
Interestingly, her heroics came after a bit of experimental practice just a day earlier, which had her teammates raising eyebrows.
“You know, the way I practiced my penalty kick yesterday with the girls, I kind of did it differently than usual,” Sawicki recalled.
“They looked at me and said, ‘Are you going to take it like that?’ I just thought, ‘I don’t know, but I know I’m going to score. I’m going to do this for my team.’”
Converting a high-pressure spot-kick like that requires not only skill but extraordinary character.
Rather than shrink under the pressure, the University of Victoria alumna embraced it, channeling her team’s spirit and the weight of the moment into a defining achievement.
“I went in confident because my teammates were very confident,” said the former Western United skipper.
“Going to penalty kicks, I just knew that we had it in the bag.”
The Filipinas’ road to gold, however, was anything but smooth.
After a 2–1 loss to Myanmar on opening day — a haunting echo of their 2023 campaign, where a first-game defeat led to a group-stage exit — the team could have faltered.
But Sawicki and her teammates refused to let history repeat itself. Crucial wins over Vietnam and Malaysia secured their passage from Group B, setting up a dramatic semifinal showdown against Thailand.
“That first loss was tough,” Sawicki admitted. “It put us in the same position we were in last SEA Games. But missing out before gave us the motivation to fight.
“We had so much heart, and that’s why we’re wearing gold today.”
For Sawicki, the victory was deeply personal.
Now in the twilight of her storied international career, every minute on the pitch became an opportunity to honor her heritage and her teammates — from recently retired goalkeeper Inna Palacios to defender Hali Long, who achieved the historic milestone of 100 international caps.
“I do this for the same reason every time,” she said. “For my family, who came from nothing and gave me everything, and for my teammates, who give their heart and soul to this program. They give me the energy. I love what I do. I love playing for the flag.
“I know I don’t have many games left, so I’m trying to take every opportunity and not look back.”
