Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 15) – The Philippine pencak silat team has collected three medals in their campaign in the 31st Southeast Asian Games at the Bac Tu Liem Gymnasium in Hanoi, Vietnam.
A bronze medal from Alvin Campos in the men’s tanding class F division on Sunday capped the Philippine pencak team’s stint with one gold medal and two bronze medals.
The Filipino pencak silat practitioners took pride as the first national team to win a gold medal in the 31st SEA Games after 18-year-old Aklan native Mary Francine Padios topped the women’s seni tunggal single category.
RELATED: Francine Padios wins PH’s first gold medal in Vietnam SEA Games
Padios’ feat was followed up by the bronze medal finish of the group of Jefferson Loon, James El Mayagma, and Rick Rod Ortega in the men’s regu trio event.
Philsilat Sports Association secretary general Inier Candor said they are contented with the performance of the Filipino pencak silat athletes, given their training challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the major changes in the sport’s rules.
“Almost 80% of the rules were changed. We have to made many adjustments and there are some amended rules that are not clear to us like the scoring system and what are the allowed and disallowed techniques,” Candor told CNN Philippines.
Candor added he is proud of their athletes’ performance despite host country Vietnam not holding a test event before the actual competition given the new rules in pencak silat.
The Philippine pencak silat team will return to the country on Tuesday.
