PHL dancesport athletes, fans celebrate SEA Games return with 10 gold medals

Dancesport is making its return to the Southeast Asian Games for the first time in 12 years, and Filipino athletes made sure to celebrate it in style.

Filipino pairs won a total of 10 gold and 2 silver medals in the lone day of competition for the sport, which made its SEA Games debut in 2005 when the Philippines last hosted the biennial meet.

The SEA Games staged a dancesport competition anew in Thailand in 2007, before being stricken off the calendar until its return this year.

READ: Love and Glory: Dancesport at the 30th SEA Games

Fittingly, Filipino dancesport athletes came through with a gold rush.

Sean Aranar and Ana Nualla won gold medals in Open Standard, Single Dance Tango, and Single Dance Viennese, while Mark Jayson Gayon and Mary Joy Renigen scored golds in Single Slow Foxtrot and Single Dance Waltz, and a silver in Standard Quickstep.

The pair of Wilbert Aunzo and Pearl Marie Cañeda won gold medals in Single Dance Samba, Single Dance Chachacha, and Single Dance Rumba, while Michael Angelo Marquez and Stephanie Sabalo won gold in Open Latin and Single Dance Paso Doble, and silver in Single Dance.

Aranar expressed surprise at the turnout at the venue in Angeles City, Pampanga for the event, which also streamed live on GMA News Online.

"Hindi namin ine-expect na magkakaroon ng ganito karaming tao na manonood sa dancesport. As in sobrang na-overwhelm kami sa nakit namin," he said.

Nualla also expressed thanks for all the support of fans at the venue and who watched remotely.

It’s time for the Latin category of Dancesport.

WATCH: Pinoys scream their hearts out for Team Philippines in the Samba discipline. #SEAGames2019 @gmanews @gmanews_sports pic.twitter.com/Q5rXYLU3Pk

— Victoria Tulad (@victoriatulad) December 1, 2019

—JST, GMA News