Team Philippines ends Asiad campaign at 16th place

CEBU, Philippines — Team Philippines ended its campaign in the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 at 16th place overall with four gold, nine silver, and 16 bronze medals.

It’s the same four-gold output and placing the country achieved at the 19th edition of the quadrennial Games three years ago.

Only this time, the Philippines bagged more silver and bronze medals compared to its 4-2-12 gold-silver-bronze tally in the 2023 Hangzhou Games.

Gymnastics star Carlo Yulo won two of the country’s golds in the men’s floor exercise and vault events.

The other golds were produced by pole vaulter EJ Obiena and taekwondo jin Jeus Gabriel Yape.

The Philippines was the fourth-best performer among Southeast Asian nations after Thailand (18-13-20), Malaysia (9-5-16), and Indonesia (5-10-22).

Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Patrick “Pato” Gregorio expressed his pride in Team Philippines’ performance, highlighting the country’s medal haul across 18 to 19 different sports as a significant step forward in Philippine grassroots and elite sports development.

Gregorio also congratulated the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), headed by President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, as well as the various National Sports Associations (NSAs) that delivered multiple medals and first-time breakthroughs in Japan.

“We’re very happy we won so many medals in so many sports—kung ’di po ako nagkakamali, 18, 19 sports. In China [2023 Hangzhou Asian Games], we won in 11 sports. ’Yan po ang malaking pagbabago, at ’yan po ang importante sa ating development ng Philippine sports, sa ating grassroots program,” Gregorio said. — EBV with POC Media Pool (FREEMAN)