SEA Games 2023: Philippines delivers more medals in athletics

Southeast Asian Games – Athletics – Morodok Techo National Stadium, Phnom Penh, Cambodia – May 9, 2023 Philippines’ Umajesty Wesley Lachica Williams celebrates after winning silver medal in men’s 400m REUTERS/Jeremy Lee

MANILA, Philippines–The Philippine athletics team scored several silver and bronze medals in the ongoing 32nd Southeast Asian Games at Morodok Techo Stadium on Tuesday.

Umajesty Williams emerged victorious with a silver medal in the men’s 400m event while fellow Filipino Frederick Ramirez took bronze in the same event.

Malaysia’s Umar Osman completed the podium as he took home the gold medal.

In decathlon, Janry Ubas took home the silver medal with 6,923 points while Aries Toledo, the 2019 champion, failed to return to his gold medal status with a third place finish at 6,891 points.

Ubas also nabbed a gold medal in men’s long jump, ending string of heartbreak finishes in the SEA Games.

Southeast Asian Games – Athletics – Morodok Techo National Stadium, Phnom Penh, Cambodia – May 9, 2023 Philippines’ Janry Ubas celebrates after winning gold in the men’s long jump REUTERS/Jeremy Lee

Thailand’s Suttisak Singkhon dominated the decathlon competition with a total of 7,486 points from 10 events.

Joida Gagnao added to the country’s medal tally after finishing second in the women’s 3000m steeplechase events with Vietnam’s Thi Oanh Nguyen taking home the gold.

Sonny Wagdos rounded up the country’s medal haul in athletics on Tuesday with a second place finish in the men’s 5000m category.

Wagdos settled for silver while Thailand’s Kieran Tuntivate took home gold. Robi Syianturi of Indonesia completed the podium finish of the event for bronze.

Ubas and EJ Obiena, who expectedly ruled the pole vault event, account for the Philippines’ gold medals so far in athletics.