Filipino athletes continue to claim gold, break records on 8th day of SEA Games

Filipino athletes made history on Day 8 of the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games on Sunday by stunning the region's powerhouse teams to claim gold in several events.

Tracksters continue to break records as William Morrison III registered 18.38 meters on his third throw in the shot put event, eclipsing the 17.74 meters set by Thailand's Chatchawal Polyiam in 2011.

Natalie Uy broke her record in the pole vault event, as she cleared 4.20 meters on her 10th jump. She went for the record in her 11th jump, clearing 4.25 meters to break Sukanya Chomchuendee's 4.21 meters in 2013.

Heptathlete Sarah Dequinan also added to the country's gold haul, ending with an aggregate score of 5,101.

Sibol, the national eSports team, made history as well as it grabbed the first eSports gold medal in SEA Games history after slaying Indonesia, 3-2, in the gold medal match.

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The Philippine men's volleyball team pulled off an upset against defending champs Thailand in a thrilling five-setter, 17-25, 25-20, 23-25, 27-25, 17-15, for a chance to get a SEA Games gold.

Gilas Pilipinas Women, on the other hand, defeated defending champs Malaysia 81-75 to enter the gold medal match, with Afril Bernardino delivering a monster performance of 18 points and 19 rebounds.

The Philippine women's softball team, also known as the Blu Girls, bagged their 10th straight SEA Games gold, while their male counterparts finished silver. The national baseball team also bagged their third SEA Games gold.

Asian Games medalists, like jin Pauline Lopez, and the golf duo of Bianca Pagdanganan and Lois Kaye Go, also dominated their own events in Sunday's games.

Surfing hero Roger Casugay clinched his gold medal today in the longboard open. Prior to bagging the gold, Casugay won hearts for helping his Indonesian opponent when the latter encountered a problem while surfing for the gold.

Cheered on by netizens, Timor Leste also made it on board the medal tally as they bagged their first two bronze medals.

Beyond 100 gold medals

The country exceeded 100 gold medals Sunday as 24 more medals were added, blowing past the 91 gold medals it bagged during the 1991 SEA Games, which the Philippines also hosted.

Several water and combat sports added to the medal haul today. Water sports such as swimming, surfing, rowing, and water skating added six silver and seven bronze medals.

From combat sports, seven silver and six bronze medals were added from the competitions in muay thai, taekwondo, and karatedo.

More medals are expected from the Philippine delegation as it enters the final stretch of the SEA Games. — BM, GMA News