The Philippine national arnis team secured two gold medals in the full-contact padded stick events, kicking off their 32nd Southeast Asian Games campaign on a high note on Sunday at the Chroy Changvar Convention Center in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Jedah Mae Soriano claimed her second Games gold by capturing the women’s featherweight title in the final against Cambodia’s Suon Heangsala, winning 2-0.
Soriano, who previously won the featherweight gold in the 2019 Philippine Games, showcased her dominance earlier in the tournament with a convincing victory over Vietnam’s Dao Thi Hong Nhung in two straight rounds, earning her spot in the final.
In a remarkable performance, Charlotte Tolentino secured her first Games title by triumphing in the women’s bantamweight category against Myanmar’s Moe Moe Aye, with a score of 2-0.
Despite being a Games rookie, Tolentino demonstrated her prowess by reaching the final in dominant fashion, defeating Peou Moonrila in two rounds.
On the other hand, their male counterparts faced disappointment as they exited the competition in the semifinals, settling for bronze medals.
Ezekyl Habig claimed the first round in the men’s bantamweight division but was unable to overcome Vietnam’s Van Cong Quoc, who won the next two rounds.
Similarly, Noah Gonzales suffered a similar defeat against another Vietnamese opponent, Bui Dinh Quyet, in the men’s lightweight class.
The arnis competitions in these Games will resume on Monday, featuring full-contact live stick events in the same weight categories.
And an avalanche of golds is expected.
