After five SEA Games appearances, Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons finally struck historic beach volleyball gold as Alas Pilipinas Women dethroned powerhouse Thailand.
The Alas Pilipinas Women’s beach volleyball team finally broke through on the biggest regional stage, and for Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons, the long wait made the moment even sweeter.
The Philippine squad captured its first-ever Southeast Asian Games gold medal after dethroning hosts Thailand in the Finals on Friday, December 19, at Jomtien Beach in Chonburi.
For Rondina, the triumph marked the culmination of years of work and belief in her fifth SEA Games appearance alongside Pons.
“Sobrang saya, lalong-lalong sa amin ni Pons na panglima na namin to. Nakapag-golde na kami sa international. Sobrang grateful kasi may mga kasama kami, may mga teammates, mga coaches, at mga management kami na alam niyong nagtitiwala talaga sa amin,” Rondina said.
“I think consistency lang din talaga ‘yung napakita namin kaya kami nakapag-gold ngayon. Siyempre, ‘yung tiwala din talaga namin na makuha tong gold.”
A near-perfect outing for Alas Women beach
Rondina and Pons set the tone early, sweeping Worapeerachayakorn Kongphopsarutawadee and Taravadee Naraphornrapat, 21-17, 21-15, to move Alas Women within striking distance of the title.
With momentum firmly on their side, Sunny Villapando and Dij Rodriguez sealed the golden run by outlasting Tanarattha Udomchavee and Rumpaipruet Numvong in three sets, 21-13, 17-21, 15-6.
After the match, Rondina shared how a simple moment before their gold medal duel fueled her belief.
“Kanina kasi nabasa ko sa One Sports ‘yung sa Facebook na kung makakapagawa ba kami ng history ngayon. And sumagot lang ako, naman!”
[ALSO READ: Rondina, Pons savor long-awaited SEA Games win vs Indonesia: ‘Talagang pahirapan every puntos’]
A long time coming
Pons, meanwhile, admitted that the gold medal victory was something she had long envisioned.
“Minanifest ko talaga 'tong gold namin. Ilang beses ko rin na imagine ‘yung moment na ganito. Minsan naluluha na lang ako bigla kasi na-imagine ko ‘yung moment na 'to,” she said.
“So, totoo pala talaga ‘yung manifestation. Pero siyempre, may kasamang hard work. Sobrang happy ko talaga na nakuha namin ‘yung game.”
Bernadeth Pons celebrates with Dij Rodriguez and Sunny Villapando after their SEA Games 2025 gold medal victory. | Photo: POC Media Pool
The win also carried an extra layer of motivation. Thailand had yet to drop the gold medal in eight SEA Games tournaments—and had already swept the Philippines in the preliminary round of this year’s competition.
“Isa din talaga ito sa reason namin kung bakit kami bumalik sa beach kasi gusto namin talagang bumawi and gusto namin talagang paiyakin sila sa sarili nilang lupa,” Pons said.
“So, ito na ‘yun, nangyari na. And I'm so grateful to the Lord na hindi niya kami pinabayaan all throughout our journey dito sa SEA Games. And sobrang grateful lang din sa lahat ng mga tao na suporta sa amin dito sa Thailand.”
With their names etched in history, Pons, Rondina, Rodriguez, and Villapando can now celebrate all the hard work they’ve done throughout the year to bring home the gold.
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Kiko Demigillo’s journey in sports storytelling began with a deep passion for games and athletes, which eventually grew into a full-fledged career.
Now a dedicated sportswriter, Kiko covers a wide range of beats for One Sports, including the PVL, UAAP, PBA, and various international tournaments.