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Sprinter Pi Durden Wangkay celebrates after winning gold in the 200-m in the 3rd Asian Youth Games, October 25, 2025 at the Bahrain National Stadium in Manama, Bahrain. POC Media
Pi Durden Wangkay stormed to victory in the 200-meter dash to give the Philippines its third gold medal in the 3rd Asian Youth Games, Saturday at the Bahrain National Stadium.
Among the leaders as the pack came off the turn, Wangkay surged ahead with 40 meters to go and crossed the finish line in 21.76 seconds.
It was a show of fortitude for the 16-year-old, who had suffered a heartbreaking loss in the century dash the day before.
"At first po, noong hindi po ako nanalo ng 100, sobrang nalungkot po ako," said Wangkay, who finished fifth in the 100-m.
"Napag-isipan ko po buong gabi, pauwi pa lang po," he added. "Iniba ko po yung mindset ko dito. Ginawa ko po in-imagine ko yung sarili ko na local meet lang, na deserve ko 'to."
Chu Chao-Feng of Chinese Taipei bagged silver in 21.90 and Kim Sunwoo of South Korea clocked 21.93 for the bronze.
"Sobrang sarap po sa pakiramdam na hindi lang sa Palaro ako nanalo, dito rin ako nanalo," said Wangkay.
The product of De La Salle Zobel joined pesilat Kram Airam Carpio and MMA fighter Charlie Ratcliff as the Philippines' gold medalists in the Asian Youth Games.
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The Philippine celebration continued as Naomi Cesar bagged the silver medal in the girls' 800-m run in two minutes and 8.69 seconds.
China's Song Jinping won the event in 2:07.84, while Indonesia's Gesndis Aulia Syafitri earned the bronze in 2:24.98.
FIGHTERS FALTER
However, the combat sports of taekwondo and boxing suffered similar fates in their respective campaigns in the 3rd Asian Youth Olympic Games in Sakhir.
The Filipino jins floundered as three entries failed to make the quarterfinals Saturday, while two pugs also fell by the wayside in the second day of boxing competitions.
Lhord Jared Pasaron (boys -73kg), Princess Sarah Grace Pascual (girls -55kg), and Rhiyanne Agatha Cadilena (girls’ -49kg) lost their respective bouts in the Round of 16 and 32, respectively.
Pasaron fell against Laith Parhalallah of Jordan, 2-0, Pascual bowed to Nazgul Teshabaeva of Kyrgyzstan, 2-1, while Pascual went down against Helia Ebrahimian of Iran.
Three more jins are set to see action in the final day of taekwondo namely, Matt Rejhan Lavestre (boys’ -55kg), Chuck Aeron Alariao (boys’ -63kg), and EJ Gaa (girls -63kg).
In boxing, Jefferson Amaya and John Michael Estorba lost their respective preliminary bouts.
Amaya suffered a 4-1 loss against Lanchenba Singh Moibungkhongbam of India in the boys 50kg, while also Estobra was swept by Doszhan Zhumakan of Kazakshtan in the boys 54kg.
Leo Mhar Lobrido and Shairylle Pores though, will gun for a semifinals berth on Sunday when they battle separate opponents in the quarterfinals of the 46kg events.
Justin James Zampatti also drew a bye and clinched a berth in the quarterfinals.