Filipina athletes shone in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand. They did not just dominance in their sport. Some broke new grounds, some set the tone, and some made history.
Let's look back at some of the achievements of Filipina gold medalists in the SEA Games 2025.
For the first time ever, the Filipinas are queens of Southeast Asian football
It's poetic how the Philippine women's national football team constantly makes history.
It was through a penalty shootout in the 2022 AFC Asian Cup quarterfinals that the Filipinas secured a berth to their first-ever FIFA Women's World Cup appearance.
It was through a penalty shootout in the 2025 SEA Games that the Filipinas ended a host country's dream and reach their first-ever final.
It was through a penalty shootout in the SEA Games final that the Filipinas secured their first-ever gold medal in the regional women's football competition.
It had to be Jaclyn Sawicki taking the sixth and final penalty kick of the Philippines in a different kind of way.
It had to be Olivia McDaniel fighting furiously for the Filipinas at every turn.
It had to be captain Hali Long, slaying the ghost of her blocked AFC Asian Cup quarterfinals penalty kick in her 101st cap for the Philippines.
It had to be longtime goalkeeper Inna Palacios, sobbing when the national anthem was played, as she capped 18 years for the national team with the gold. At last.
It was, and had to be, destiny.
2025 is the year of Alex Eala
This year, Alex Eala became the country's pride.
She rose to prominence with a Cinderella run towards the Miami Open semifinals, rising to new heights with a WTA Tour final—the Eastbourne 250 Open, and winning a WTA Challenger—the Guadalajara 125 Open.
She rose as high as World No. 50, securing direct berths to the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open.
But there's nothing quite like winning the Southeast Asian Games gold medal in women's singles.
It's the first-ever for the 20-year-old star, and the first in SEA Games women's singles in 26 years since Maricris Fernandez won in 1999.
"I think yan yung talagang pinaka-nakakaiyak sa akin is when they play Lupang Hinirang or any, like, the national anthem,” said Eala. "And parang matagal ko nang pinapangarap yun na, you know, ako yung makakadala ng ganong pride sa Pilipinas. So, I'm so thankful. I'm so humbled to be able to represent our country."
Beach please: Filipinas dethrone eight-time champ Thais to become queens of beach volleyball
It's the stuff shounen and sports action flicks are made of.
It took several months of sacrifice and preparation.
Sisi Rondina, Bernadeth Pons, and Dij Rodriguez took time off their PVL mother clubs for multiple conferences to prepare for this one competition.
And they were out for redemption.
In the 2019 Philippines and 2021 Vietnam editions of the SEA Games, the Philippine women's beach volleyball team took bronze.
They fell off the podium in 2023 Cambodia.
With the SiPons duo reunited for the 2025 edition in Thailand, there was no holding back.
In 2019, the pairs of Varapatsorn Radarong-Khanittha Hongpak and Tanarattha Udomchavee-Rumpaipruet Numwong pushed the Rondina-Pons and the Rodriguez-Dzi Gervacio tandem to third place.
In 2021, same story. Radarong and Udomchavee suited up once again for Thailand, along with the Taravadee Naraphornrapat–Worapeerachayakorn Kongphopsarutawadee tandem. They knocked down the SiPons duo, along with the pair of Rodriguez and Jovelyn Gonzaga to the bronze medal match.
In 2023, Naraphornrapat, Kongphopsarutawadee, Radarong, and Udomchavee once again took gold.
Naturally, in 2025, Rondina, Pons, and Rodriguez would see the same familiar faces of Naraphornrapat, Kongphopsarutawadee, and Udomchavee.
And in the preliminaries, the Filipinas did absorb a rough beating—two series losses via sweep (21-12, 21-17 and 21-17, 21-19) to the Thais.
But it was a different story come the gold medal match.
SiPons got their revenge with a sweep of their own, 21-17, 21-15.
It was up to Rodriguez and Sunny Villapando to finish it. But they had to dig deep in a three-setter, 21-13, 17-21, 15-6, to dethrone Thailand and end their eight-peat reign in beach volleyball.
It was the first-ever for the Philippines in the event, breaking what seemed to be an untouchable streak for Thailand since the event was introduced in 2003.
It took consistency. It took manifestation. It took maybe a little push from a little poster.
"Kanina kasi nabasa ko sa One Sports ‘yung sa Facebook na kung makakapagawa ba kami ng history ngayon. And sumagot lang ako, naman!" Rondina said.
It took a little desire for vengeance.
"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."
Domination: Untouchable Blu Girls extend SEA Games softball gold streak to 11
The Philippine women's softball team continued to reign in the SEA Games, beating Singapore, 4-1 for the gold medal.
The Blu Girls are utterly dominant in the region, reigning for 11 editions of the tournament since it was first held in 1979.
It's a successful run for the Philippine softball and baseball teams, which all struck gold in the SEA Games.
"I really believe that there's talent here. We have the potential to be the best in the world, and I really want it to be a statement," said Cheska Altomonte, former captain of the RP Blu Girls and current Secretary General of the Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines (ASAPhil).
Domination: Agatha Wong wins her sixth SEA Games gold. Her greatest opponent in wushu? Her own doubts
Agatha Wong successfully defended her 2023 SEA Games gold medal in the wushu taolu combined event of taijiquan + taijijian.
It's her sixth gold medal in the biennial meet, and she did training while studying for medical school.
It's really the thoughts and the doubts that hampered her.
"I feel like every time I go to SEA Games, I'm gonna lose," she admitted to One Sports. It took a lot of tears and talking to other people before letting it all out on the floor.
"I think your biggest enemy is yourself. You think that you cannot win, but then you do," she said.
"I flew to Bangkok really scared. But I'm going home a champion."
Domination: Gilas Pilipinas Women restore order, return to the top of basketball
The Gilas Pilipinas Women have won the SEA Games gold medal in three out of four editions of the 5-on-5 basketball tournament.
This one is just a little bit sweeter.
Not just because it was a return to glory after falling to Indonesia in 2023 Cambodia. And not just because they had to make last-minute changes to the roster because of sudden announcements by the host country Thailand.
"Yes of course, this is… parang sweeter ito kasi we’re out... 'di tayo sa country natin. Eto yung talagang pinaghirapan nila. It was a tough game, it was… Talagang swertehan lang," coach Pat Aquino said.
They didn't have Jack Animam this time. But veterans Afril Bernardino and Janine Pantejos had plenty of young guns to rely on with the likes of Sophia Dignadice, Kacey dela Rosa, Ann Pingol, and Angel Surada.
And as cliche as it sounds, it really was defense against Thailand that won the Philippines gold.
“At yung sabi ko lang yung coach Pat after the buzzer ends. Sabi ko sa kanya, we did it again. Siguro it's the best challenge for us na nagbalik namin yung throne sa Pilipinas,” Bernardino said.
Domination: Kayla Sanchez and Pilipinas Swimming, Queens of SEA
Olympian Kayla Sanchez, along with fellow swimmers Xiandi Chua, Chloe Isleta, and Heather White were instrumental in the Philippines' three golds, nine silvers, and two bronze medal haul in the SEA Games--the team's most successful haul in the biennial meet in the last decade.
Sanchez won three golds, claiming the 100m freestyle and 100m backstroke, and joining the women's team to rule the 4x100m freestyle relay.
She also got silver in the 200m freestyle, 50m backstroke, 50m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle, and 4x100m medley relay.
It's enough for a cool P1.2-million cash prize from the government.
But Sanchez likes to stay grounded despite her success.
"It takes a village," she said of her triumph. "All the support staff here on Team Philippines. We wouldn't be to get through this without all our coaches, the support from the fans, the support from our families, you guys following our journey. Thank you so much. Happy SEA Games!"
Domination: Queens of triathlon... despite the food poisoning
The triathlon team relays were a huge success for Team Philippines, sweeping with gold medals for the women's, men's, and mixed competitions.
Kira Ellis, Raven Alcoseba, and Kim Mangrobang delivered the first gold in women's triathlon relay. Ellis and Alcoseba would later get another in the mixed relay along with Fernando Casares and Kim Remolino.
An unfortunate bout with food poisoning would see Ellis compete by herself for Team Philippines in the women's individual race, later to win silver.
It's only a slight stumble to what continues to be a strong and reliable contingent for the national team.
That's three gold medals, two silvers, and a bronze in triathlon; one silver in duathlon; as well as two silvers and a bronze in aquathlon.
Rise of the next: Islay Bomogao finds her muay redemption in Lumpinee
In 2024, Islay Bomogao became the world number one in the -45kg female elite division of the International Federation of Muaythai Associations (IFMA)--the first Filipina to do so.
That led to a spot in the ONE promotions, going 4-0 in ONE Friday Fights right at the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok.
So it felt just like home when the 20-year-old Bomogao returned to the same venue with the gold medal at stake.
After a curious case in the semifinals, when the coach of her Vietnamese opponent threw a water bottle into the ring in protest of the scoring and eventually forfeiting the match, Bomogao withstood the hometown jeers to outclass local bet Arissara Noon-Eiad in the women’s 45kg final.
It's the first time a Filipina has won SEA Games gold in muay combat since Preciosa Ocaya in the 54kg division in the 2013 edition. Bomogao has clinched the gold in the wai kru or form event in 2021.
For Islay, it was redemption after settling for silver in 2019.
“Ngayon po ulit finally, 'yung 2019 ko po na silver parang na-redeem ko ngayong 2025. Now that I'm older, more experienced, I have more muscles,” she quipped after the match.
Rise of the next: SEA Games debut, SEA Games gold for taekwondo jin Tachiana Mangin
Philippine taekwondo has found its new star.
In 2024, then-16-year-old Tachiana became the junior world champion in the 49-kilogram division under the tutelage of Olympian Kirstie Alora.
Mangin outclassed South Korea's Kim Hyang-gi for the title.
A year later, she clinched the 2025 SEA Games gold in the flyweight division, ending the seven-time reign of Thailand in the weight class since it was introduced in 2009.
Panipak Wongpattanakit, who was the four-time defending champion in the SEA Games, announced the 2024 Paris Olympics would be her last. The Thai became the first athlete to win two consecutive Olympic gold medals in the event.
Now, it's Mangin's turn to rise in the kyorugi division.
Rise of the next: Mazel Alegado embraces the fun and future of skateboarding
Margielyn Didal made history when she clinched the inaugural skateboarding gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games. Her cry when she won: Build more skate parks.
Four years later, then-nine-year-old Mazel Alegado entered the scene in the 2022 Asian Games. She finished seventh.
Now in the 2025 SEA Games, Mazel gets the 1-2 finish for Team Philippines in the SEA Games along with fellow youngster Elizabeth Amador.
And at 11, she's already thinking about the future.
“I love inspiring people and especially like little kids and little girls, I just hope lots of people saw that even on the livestream… Yeah, I just hope they saw that and they want to start skateboarding like how I got inspired by my brother,” she said.
Rise of the next: Elreen Ando continues Hidilyn Diaz's legacy
Weightlifting will forever be part of Philippine sports history, when Hidilyn Diaz delivered the country's first-ever Olympic gold in Tokyo 2020.
Diaz passed the torch to Ando in Paris 2024, and she steadily continues her rise. The Cebuana is now a two-time SEA Games gold medalist, first ruling the 59kg in 2023 and then the 63kg in 2025.
Between Diaz, Ando, and the rest of the Filipina weightlifters, the future is bright.
Rise of the next: Naomi Cesar ends Vietnamese domination at 800m run
At 16 years old, Naomi Cesar makes SEA Games athletics history in the 800m sprint.
She finished with a time of 2:10.2, ending Vietnam's domination in the event since 2001.
It's a family affair, as she fell in love with the sport due to her dad, former national team athlete Ben Cesar.
"It's a huge honor to represent my country and to follow my dad's footsteps," she said.
It's extra special since she got to compete in the same SEA Games as her sister, football player Malea Cesar.
The sisters that compete together... win gold together.
Rise of the next: Erin Micor joins Genesis Pible as a sharpshooting star
She's 17, but boy can she shoot.
Erin Micor, fresh off a gold medal win in the Teams Lady event and a silver medal in the Open Lady category of the 2025 IPSC Handgun World Shoot, made her mark with a SEA Games gold in the open individual event.
She joined Genesis Pible in Team Philippines' golden rush in practical shooting, along with Edcel Gino and Rolly Nathaniel.
Rise of the next: Jasmine Althea Ramilo twists and turns with Aleah Finnegan
At 17, Jasmine Althea Ramilo has ruled the individual all-around event of rhythmic gymnastics in her SEA Games debut.
The young athlete is just grateful to be under the tutelage of coach Claudia Mancinelli since the Filipina was seven years old.
"She has been very strong, she continues to grow. And it's the most important thing," the Italian said of her young ward.
It's not easy to stay in the moment, but Ramilo has heeded that call after every apparatus.
She's a sign that Philippine gymnastics continues to shine with new knowledge, after Aleah Finnegan won her second SEA Games gold medal in vault.
The Paris Olympian had to fight hard, as she had to overcome grief for her departed grandmother to train for the gold.
“This gold medal means so much to me. It’s probably the one that mattered the most because of everything that came before it… so many long hours and challenges inside and outside the gym,” she added.
And Team Philippines had to fight hard for her gold as well, asking for a recomputation after a "technical glitch" in the computerized scoring system nearly cost Finnegan the top prize.
Beating the hometown bet: Kimberly Custodio wins gold in her first SEA Games
Kimberly Custodio is undoubtedly a golden girl.
She's a three-time JJIF world champion. And in the Southeast Asian Games, Custodio showed she is world-class outclassing Thailand in the jiu-jitsu women's ne-waza 48kg category for the gold.
It so happened to be her first time to compete in the biennial meet.
Beating the hometown bet: Zyra Bon-As shows her flexibility, from kun khmer to kickboxing
Zyra's training is really for muay thai.
But in the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia, Zyra Bon-As competed in the combat sport of kun khmer where she won bronze.
In the 2025 SEA Games, she was told to compete in kickboxing... and only had a few months to prepare.
"Super underdog ako dito," she said.
Her Vietnamese semifinal opponent was a two-time gold medalist. Zyra won.
Her Thai final opponent is a muay champion. Well, Zyra won that too.
"Parang laging may doubt before the competition. Yung kaba ko, super out of this world," Bon-As said. "I trusted myself, I trusted my training, my coaches, most especially, tiwala ko talaga sa Diyos. Siya talaga yung tumulong sakin."
"Etong yung gold naten, out of nowhere to. First time ni Zyra sa kickboxig makuha," Coach Rex de Lara said.
Beating the hometown bet: Joanie Delgaco, Kristine Paraon row their way to gold
Paris Olympian Joanie Delgaco is now a two-time SEA Games gold medalist in double sculls. She and partner Kristine Paraon rowed their way to the top with a time of 8:16.976.
That's over four seconds ahead of the Thai silver medalists, who finished with a time of 8:21.634.
Bawing-bawi: From kun bokator to MMA, Geli Bulaong finds redemption in Bangkok
It may just be a demo sport, but Geli Bulaong clinched the inaugural gold medal in mixed martial arts.
It's a sweet victory after she settled for silver in the kun bokator event during the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia.
The Philippines sent its biggest delegation yet to the Southeast Asian Games--over 1,100 athletes as part of the 1,600-strong team.
While it's always welcome to win gold, the aim was the provide athletes more exposure in international competitions and grow.
There are so many success stories that can be celebrated, such as the gold in mixed team judo.
As well as the desire for recognition with the Pilipinas Ultimate's SEA Games success in the demo sport of flying disc.
And with the way these Filipinas have made history and develop in their sport, the future is bright.
(With reports from Luisa Morales, Pao Ambat, Kiko Demigillo, Jan Ballesteros, Mei-lin Lozada/One Sports Digital; Denise Tan, Bea Escudero, Alyssa Valdez, Denisse Valdesancho, Carlo Pamintuan, Belle Gregorio, Dyp Dypiangco, Julia Vargas, Doreen Suaybaguio, Nic Earnshaw, AJ Bolando/Cignal; POC Media Pool)
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.