Though competing in two different sports in SEA Games 2025, Malea and Naomi Cesar had one thing in common: their championship DNA.
BANGKOK — Days after seeing her sister Naomi win the gold medal in the women’s 800-meter event, it was Malea Cesar’s turn to achieve SEA Games glory as she helped the Filipinas take a historic gold medal in women’s football at the Chonburi Stadium on Wednesday night.
Elder sister Malea, who was watching with her Filipinas treammates, was visibly emotional when the 16-year-old Naomi edged out her Vietnamese opponent in the race.
Then on Wednesday, it was Naomi’s turn to cheer on her sister in a thrilling penalty shootout victory over four-peat defending champion Vietnam, 6-5.
After the final whistle, Malea charged to the stands to celebrate with her family.
“[It’s] surreal and especially even more special to have my sister be there with me and have my parents in the crowd.” Malea told POC Media in the venue.
“But it's something that I've been dreaming about and I know all my teammates have been dreaming about. To have this moment with everybody that's here and with everybody that's not here has been really special,” she added.
[READ: Filipinas stun four-peat champion Vietnam for historic SEA Games gold in women's football]
Naomi, the youngest member of Team Philippines in the athletics team, also reflected on the familial connection for the Cesar family in the SEA Games.
“To follow in my dad’s footsteps because he competed for the Philippines in the SEA Games, and my sister now competing for the Philippines so, it’s a huge honor and I’m so grateful,” Naomi told Cignal after winning her gold the other day.
To see is to believe
Though they didn’t necessarily promise winning gold together, it was something that they motivated each other to achieve.
Eager to replicate each other’s success on the same stage — an opportunity that won’t always present itself to them owing to their different sports — both sisters manifested glory for each other, making their respective golds even more special.
[READ: SEA Games: Elreen Ando, Naomi Cesar lead Team Philippines eight gold medal haul on Monday]
“It's not something that we really talked about but we both knew that it was a possibility,” Malea said.
“So we visualized it for ourselves, we visualized it for each other and we both knew we were cheering each other on,” she added.
Both Cesar sisters thus contributed to the Philippines’ current haul of 38 golds — which is good enough to keep the Philippines in sixth place in the standings.
(With reports from Bea Escudero/Cignal)
Luisa Morales is a sports writer with a special interest in promoting women’s sports.
Her coverage highlights include the UAAP, PVL, Southeast Asian Games, and the FIBA World Cup. She also follows Alex Eala, the Philippine women’s national football team, and mixed martial arts.