PH is best-performing Southeast Asian nation in Paris Games

PH is best-performing Southeast Asian nation in Paris Games

Story by ABS-CBN News
11 Aug 2024

The chief of the Philippine Olympic Committee hailed national athletes after the Philippines emerged as the top Southeast Asian country in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The Philippines ended the Paris Games with two gold medals -- courtesy of gymnast Carlos Yulo -- and two bronzes from boxers Aira Villegas and Nesthy Petecio. It is the country's best-ever performance in the Games, surpassing the haul from the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 when national athletes brought home one gold, two silvers, and a bronze.

A digital billboard along EDSA in Mandaluyong City shows a congratulatory message to Filipino gymnast Carlos Yulo on August 5, 2024, a day after his win in the men's artistic gymnastics vault final. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

"We're the best performer in Southeast Asia, and No. 7 in Asia," POC President Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino said on Sunday, ahead of the closing ceremony.

"We wanted more, but with two gold and two bronze medals, should we ask for more from Paris?" he added.

Yulo became the first Filipino athlete to win multiple medals in a single Games when he ruled both the vault and floor exercise in men's artistic gymnastics. Meanwhile, Petecio became just the fourth Filipino athlete with more than one Olympic medal when she added a bronze to the silver that she won in Tokyo.

And Villegas capped a memorable Olympic debut with a bronze of her own.

Japan was fourth with 18, South Korea seventh with 13, then Uzbekistan (eight) at No. 13, Iran (three) at No. 22 and Chinese Taipei (two golds with five bronzes) at No. 33.

The Philippines was No. 1 among countries competing in the SEA Games with its closest pursuer Indonesia also winning two gold medals but only had a bronze in badminton.

Kazakhstan, an Asian Games powerhouse, surprisingly only has one gold medal in judo.

"We've gone quality in Paris—in gymnastics, a blue-chip sport," Tolentino said. "And looking at the SEA Games countries, we outperformed our closest neighbors."

Thailand, a perennial SEA Games champion, could only go 1-3-2 with its taekwondo gold, while Malaysia lost its best gold medal hope when Azizulhasni Awang was disqualified in men’s keirin of cycling and will have to settle with two badminton bronze medals.

Singapore lost its sting in the pool and will go home with a sailing bronze medal.

Yulo and Villegas will carry the Philippine flag in the closing ceremony on Sunday, with the Olympians expected home on Tuesday.