Med school AND SEA Games? Five-time wushu gold medalist Agatha Wong is just grateful things are falling in the right place for her sixth Southeast Asian Games appearance.
Agatha Wong is heading to her sixth Southeast Asian Games as a five-time wushu gold medalist. And she did her training while finding time as a third year medical student in the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center.
Wong said it was quite the struggle.
"It's really a lot, sobrang challenging niya to balance," Wong told reporters of juggling sports training and med school. "I think 'yung demands of being an athlete and the demands of being a med student, sobrang patas niya. And I'm just one person."
The 27-year-old athlete though is just grateful that things are falling in the right place for the SEA Games 2025 Thailand.
For starters, Wong is glad of how the schedule ended up so her semester ended early so she can head to the SEA Games "without any excuse".
There was also less strain for her to travel, as the heavy flooding in Songkhla prompted Thai organizers to move the 10 events in that cluster to Bangkok.
Wong is coming to Thailand bearing gold in 2023 from the taijian + taijiquan event. She also snagged taijiquan gold in the 2025 World Wushu Championships. But she's just grateful for the opportunity.
"I'm just glad na I'm not injured at this time. I'm getting older, mas susceptible ako for injuries. I'm grateful sa coach ko, she's providing me the program keeps me on track, keeps me very strong."
@onesportsphl BALANCING THE GRIND 🙌 Five-time SEA Games gold medalist Agatha Wong shares how she’s preparing for the upcoming SEA Games and how she balances sports with her responsibilities as a medical student. | via Luisa Morales/One Sports #OSOnTheSpot #SEAGamesThailand #TibayAtTatag
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The wushu contingent also includes 2021 taijiquan silver medalist Jones Inso, 2023 jianshu/qiangshu bronze medalist Sandrex Gainsan, sanda bronze medalist Russel Diaz, 2019 duilian bronze medalist Thornton Sayan, as well as Xander Alipo, Ernie Braca, Mark Lester Ragay, Vincent Ventura, Alexander de los Reyes, Krisna Malecdan, and Krizan Collado.
The wushu events begin on December 13.
(With reports from Luisa Morales/One Sports Digital)
Katrina Alba is a sports journalist and producer, notably with SportsCenter Philippines before taking on her current role at One Sports.
She primarily writes about basketball and volleyball, with experience covering the SEA Games, Asian Games, and the FIBA World Cup.
Outside of work, her hobbies include running, swimming, pickleball, yoga, arnis, and krav maga.