Countless hours of preparation finally bore fruit for Melvin Sacay, who claimed gold in the laser-run at the SEA Games 2025 modern pentathlon.
All the early mornings, late nights and relentless repetition finally came together for Melvin Sacay on the shores of Jomtien Beach, Pattaya City.
The 22-year-old Filipino delivered a commanding performance to capture gold in the men’s laser-run event of the modern pentathlon at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games on Wednesday, December 17.
Sacay, a native of Ormoc, turned in 10 minutes and 41.55 seconds, earning 659 points to secure the top spot on the podium.
He finished comfortably ahead of Indonesia’s Fadhil Aulia Mufto, who claimed silver with a time of 11:14.21 and 626 points, while fellow Indonesian Graha Rizky Taruna settled for bronze after clocking 11:24.81 for 616 points.
“Few months ago, grabe’yung preparation namin na halos umaga, tanghali, hapon, and gabi talaga ‘yung preparation namin sa game na’ to. Masasabi ko na talagang worth it ‘yung ginawa naming preparation para sa SEA Games," Sacay told Cignal's Bea Escudero in an interview.
“Napakasaya ko po dahil nag-represent po ulit ako sa Pilipinas at nakapagbigay ng karangalan sa bansa,” he added.
Sacay’s triumph continued the Philippines’ steady rise in the sport, which only made its SEA Games debut in 2019 but has already produced multiple podium finishes.
In that breakthrough year, Michael Ver Comaling claimed gold in the men’s beach triathle, while Princess Honey Arbilon and Samuel German topped the mixed beach laser-run event.
Speaking of Arbilon, she also contributed a medal for the Philippines after a silver-medal finsin in the women’s laser-run competition.
[With reports from Bea Escudero/Cignal]
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Pao Ambat earned his journalism degree from Cavite State University in 2022.
Passionate about sports from a young age, he primarily covers the NBA for One Sports, while also assisting in reporting on the PVL, PBA, UAAP, and other leagues.