Team SIBOL will be coming home with medals from all the titles they participated in.
"Sobrang saya, susunduin ako ni Mama!"
Abdul "Monboy" Barode was so giddy and couldn't help himself from grinning from ear to ear during a SIBOL interview on Monday night. He had just won the bronze medal in the PUBG Mobile individual event during the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia.
Filipino caster Manjean Faldas gave the back story: During the 2021 SEA Games in Vietnam, Barode had to go home by himself. No chauffeur from mom because he didn't win a medal.
"Walang medal eh!" the PUBG player said, grinning. "'Yun ang napagkasunduan. [Ngayon], makakauwi tayo ng safe!"
"Ma! Meron na kong medal. Susunduin mo na 'ko!" Barode said in glee, speaking to the camera, bronze medal across his neck.
He has plenty to be proud of. It's the Philippines' first SEA Games medal in PUBG. Probably a fitting gift a day after Mothers' Day.
It was tense at the endgame of PUBG Mobile, as he was eliminated and was just waiting for the results of the battle royale shooting game.
Everyone crowded around him as he refreshed the screen for the results. And then they erupted in cheers. Barode had picked up a bronze medal, forging a tie with Vietnam for 81 points.
It was a redemption of sorts for SIBOL's PUBG Mobile teams, which topped the qualifiers only to fall far from a podium finish. It was up to Barode to salvage a medal for the Philippines.
"'Nung nakita nila akong nasa top 2, top 1, masaya sila eh. Wala lang, nakaka-proud lang," he added.
The win assured SIBOL would be going home with medals in all titles they joined. Two gold medals in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang men's division and League of Legends: Wild Rift, a silver in the MLBB women's division, and bronzes in Crossfire, Valorant, and PUBG Mobile individual event.
Barode though wants more.
"Babawi tayo sa 2025 sa Thailand!"
(With reports from Doreen Suaybaguio, One Sports)
(GM)