Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 11) – The Philippines formally secured its silver medal win in the 31st Southeast Asian Games beach handball competition in Vietnam.
The Filipinos finished the double round-robin tournament with a two sets win against Singapore on Wednesday at the Tuan Chau Resort in Quang Ninh town.
The Philippine beach handball team closed their campaign in the four-nation meet with a 4-2 record, bowing twice to Vietnam.
National beach handball squad head coach Jana Franquelli said she is proud of their accomplishment, having improved from the team’s bronze medal finish in 2019 despite challenges in their training due to the pandemic.
“We exceeded expectations and no one expected us to get this silver. They were expecting Vietnam and Thailand to slug it out for the gold, but it turned out that we’re the one who fought for the gold and it was a close one,” said Franquelli.
Host nation Vietnam won the gold after sweeping all their six games, while Thailand clinched the bronze medal.
Team Philippines now has one gold, four silvers, and four bronzes a day before the opening ceremony of the pandemic-delayed biennial sporting event on Thursday.
