32nd SEA Games: PH takes 7 medals before official opening, OCR reps zero in chance for 4 gold as men's volleyball, football teams fall

The Philippines won two gold, two silver, and three bronze medals a day before the official opening of the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia on Thursday, May 4.

Kaila Napolis and Angel Gwen Derla led the way with gold medal triumphs as the Philippines had a strong start and better chances of exceeding their fourth-place finish in the previous edition.

Jiu-jitsu fighter Napolis gave the country its first gold after defeating home bet Jessa Khan, 2-0, in the women's ne-waza -52kg class finals.

Napolis waited four years to avenge her defeat over Khan in the lighter 49kg class in SEAG 2019, making the win more special.

Derla followed Napolis' lead and won the second gold as she ruled the women's bamboo shield form event of the kun bokator at Chroy Changvar Convention Center.

The SEA Games first-timer ensured it was a memorable debut as she scored 8.5 points to overcome Cambodia's Chanchhorvy Puth, who settled for silver with 8.47 points.

Mark Lacao and Rhichein Yosorez joined the medal haul as silver medalists in the men's bamboo shield form and women's bare hand form, both kun bokator events, respectively.

Dianne Bargo and Isabela Montaña won the bronze in the jiu-jitsu women's show, while the pairs of Harvey Navarro and Karl Navarro, and Alyssa Kylie Mallari also placed third in jiu-jitsu men's duo and women's bokator spirit form.

The SEA Games 2023 will officially open on Friday, May 5, at Morodok Techo Stadium in Phnom Penh.

The Philippines can add up to four gold medals to their tally if things go well in obstacle course racing (OCR).

The men's and women's individual event finals of OCR will feature an all-Filipino showdown, as the Philippine teams in both divisions also advanced to the gold medal game.

On Wednesday, May 3, Mark Julius Rodelas and Kevin Jeffrey Pascua forged their men's OCR individual finale clash, and Precious Cabuya and Kaizen dela Serna did similarly in the women's division.

In the men's team event, the quartet of Jayr De Castro, Mervin Guarte, Elias Tabac, and Ahgie Radan clocked 25.8566 seconds in the qualifying round at Chroy Changvar Convention Center on May 4.

On the same date, the Philippine women's team of Mhick Tejares, Sandi Abahan, Tess Nocyao, and Mecca Cortizano recorded 40.1780 seconds to progress to the championship phase.

Both Filipino teams will compete against Malaysia on Sunday, May 7.

It was a bad day for ball game teams as the Philippines faced elimination in men's volleyball and football competitions.

The Philippine spikers suffered their second sweep in the biennial meet as Cambodia drubbed them, 25-18, 25-18, 25-17, at Indoor Olympic Stadium on Thursday night, May 4.

With the loss, the Philippines will miss the podium for the second consecutive SEA Games after ending their 42-year medal drought in men's volleyball at home in 2019 by winning the silver.

They opened their campaign last Wednesday with a lopsided 25-18, 25-18, 25-23 loss to defending two-time champion Indonesia.

Fellow winless Singapore awaits the nationals in their last Group A assignment before heading to the 5th-8th classification matches.

On the other hand, the young Azkals succumbed to a 3-0 loss in the hands of Timor Leste, ending their hopes of making it to the semifinals for the first time since 1991 when the Philippines hosted the SEA Games.

Timor exacted revenge against the Filipino squad that dealt them a four-nil blanking in the 31st SEAG in Hanoi, Vietnam.

The Filipino booters were at the bottom of Group A with two losses and a draw ahead of their last match against Myanmar on May 10.

The nationals started flat in the tournament with a 3-0 defeat against title favorite Indonesia before salvaging a one-all draw against Cambodia.