HANOI — It may have been Friday the 13th, but good fortune shone on Team Philippines in the 31st Southeast Asian Games with four gold medals added to the country's haul here.
Two of them came late as kickboxing competitions wrapped up at the Bac Ninh Gymnasium.
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Athlete-mom Gina Iniong gave her squad the first gold of the campaign after four foiled bids in finals matches earlier in the day.
Iniong, training out of the famed Baguio-based stable Team Lakay, bested Thailand's Waraporn Jaiteng in the women's low kick -60kg division final to end the drought for the Filipino kickboxers, 2-1.
Then, Jean Claude Saclag rode the momentum into the last contest of the day as he bested Thai Chaleamlap Santidongsakun, 2-1, in the men's low kick -63.5kg Finals.
Iniong and Saclag's golds highlighted a six-medal haul for the Philippines in kickboxing alone on Friday.
Four others -- Renalyn Dacquel, Gretel De Paz, Zephania Ngaya and Claudine Veloso --settled for silvers in their respective divisions.
This added to the two bronzes, courtesy of Honorio Banario and Emmanuel Cantores, already held by the Philippine kickboxing team.
Wrapping up another podium finish for Team Philippines was Estie Gay Liwanen of kurash, which bumped up the Philippine Kurash team's collection of medals to nine.