SEA Games: Philippines adds more gold medals in billiards, muay thai, and archery

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

The Philippine national teams in billiards, muay thai, and archery delivered more gold medals in the ongoing 2022 Southeast Asian Games.

Johann Chua, one of the highly-touted rising stars in the country, defeated compatriot and veteran Carlo Biado during the men’s 9-ball pool singles category, 9-7, held at the Ha Dong Gymnasium in Hanoi, Vietnam.

The 29-year-old Chua vowed to bounce back from a bronze medal finish during the 2019 edition of the SEA Games and capped his 2022 run with a momentum-boosting win against World Pool champion Biado.

Chua’s precise ball placement and positioning helped him gain the advantage against Biado who fumbled several chances to take the lead.

Aside from the PH men’s gold and silver medals, Rubilen Amit also made a statement in the women’s 9-ball category after crushing Jessica Tan of Singapore, 7-2, during the gold medal match.

Meanwhile, in the muay thai event, the duo of Islay Bomagao and Rhichein Yosorez emerged victorious in the women’s waikru and mai muay doubles category.

Bomagao and Yosorez registered 8.68 points during their title-clinching routine and got the better of the Vietnamese pair Thi Diem Trang Pham and Thi Bich Lieu Pham.

In the SEA Games archery, the trio of Pia Elizabeth Bidaure, Gabrielle Monica Bidaure, and Phoebe Nicole Amistoso reigned supreme to add another gold medal to the PH’s overall tally.

The young archers showed out and showed nerves of steel against the veteran Vietnam team, 5-4, and also became the country’s first archery gold medal in the 2022 SEA Games.