Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 15) – Arnisador Dexler Bolambao clinched the Philippines’ 50th gold medal at the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Monday.
He shut down hometown bet Ty Brakponlue in the finals of the full contact live stick competition in the men’s bantamweight division.
In the 2019 SEA Games in Manila, Bolambao likewise took home the gold in the same contest.
Prior to this year’s edition, the Filipino martial art has only been featured in the 2005 and 2019 SEA Games, both held in Manila.
Meanwhile, his teammate Ella Alcoseba bagged the country’s 49th gold medal after she bested Burmese arnisador Moe Moe Aye in the full contact live stick finals in the women’s under 50 kilogram division.
With 50 gold medals, the Philippines now sits at 5th place, behind Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, and frontrunner Vietnam.
