Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 15) – Arnel Mandal concluded the Philippine wushu team’s campaign in the 31st Southeast Asian Games on a golden finish after he topped the men’s sanda 56kg division on Sunday at the Cau Giay Gymnasium.
Mandal defeated Indonesia’s Laksmana Pandu Pratama, 2-0, in the finals to be the only Filipino wushu sanda athlete who won a gold medal in the biennial sports event.
Mandal followed up the golden feat of Agatha Wong, who ruled the women’s taijijian event earlier in the day.
RELATED: Agatha Wong bounces back with gold in wushu women’s taijijian
The Philippine wushu team will go home with two gold medals, two silver medals, and five bronze medals.
Wong added a silver medal in the women’s taolu taijiquan, where her throne was deposed after ruling the last two SEA Games editions in the event.
Jones Inso bagged a silver medal in the men’s taolu taijiquan and a bronze medal in the men’s taolu taijijian event.
The four bronze medals of the Philippine wushu team are courtesy of Mandal’s fellow sanda athletes Clemente Tabugara (men’s -70kg), Gideon Padua (men’s 60kg), Francisco Solis (men’s 65kg), and Divine Wally (women’s 48kg).
