Phillip Delarmino is in the final stage of his title defense.
The reigning World Champion took his place in the gold medal match of the 31st Southeast Asian Games’ men’s combat minus-57 kg after edging out Laos’ Kay Ketnouvoung, 2-1, in the semifinal, Saturday at the Vĩnh Phúc Sporting Hall in Vĩnh Phúc, Vietnam.
The 31-year-old standout will look to capture his second straight Games gold on Sunday.
Rudzma Abubakar and April Joy La Madrid pocketed two bronze medals for the national muay team after exiting in their respective semifinals.
Abubakar absorbed a narrow 0-1 defeat from Kullanat Aonok of Thailand in the women’s combat minus-48 kg semifinal.
Meanwhile, La Madrid took a 0-3 loss against Vietnam’s Thi Mai Bang in the semifinal of the women’s minus-60 kg.
The national muay team already had one gold in their collection as they won the women’s wai kru and mai muay event with Islay Erika Bomogao and Rhichein Yosorez.
Bronzes from Fritz Biagtan in the men’s minus-60 kg and Mauro Lumba in the men’s minus-81 kg complete the collection of one gold and four bronzes.
