Swimmer Kayla Sanchez at the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand. POC Media
MANILA -- The gold medalists in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games will be honored with citations in the 2025 Philippine Sportswriters Association-San Miguel Corporation Awards Night, set for Feb. 16 at the Diamond Hotel Manila.
Swimmer Kayla Sanchez, winner of three golds, spearheads the Philippine team contingent that scored significant victories in a two-week stretch of December in Bangkok and Chonburi, Thailand.
Sanchez emerged as the most bemedaled Filipino athlete from the largest Philippine delegation to be ever sent in the biennial meet as she also bagged five silver medals in swimming.
READ: Kayla Sanchez concludes first SEA Games stint with 8 medals
Meanwhile, the Philippine women's national football team and women's beach volleyball team captured gold in their respective sports -- both firsts in the country's history of participation in the biennial games.
Likewise making their presence felt were Peter Groseclose in the men's 500-meter speed skating, EJ Obiena in men's pole vault and the rest of the track and field team, the Gilas Pilipinas men and women's basketball squads, the practical shooting unit led by world champion Rolly Tecson, Kira Ellis and the triathlon group, among others.
Also part of the gold-winning national team is rising tennis star Alex Eala, who will be honored with the Athlete of the Year award together with two-time Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo in the gala night co-presented by ArenaPlus and the Philippine Sports Commission.
READ: Alex Eala, Carlos Yulo to be recognized PSA co-Athletes of the Year
The 20-year-old Eala ended the country's 26-year drought in the sport with her triumph in the women's singles, and helped the 1,200-strong Philippine contingent finish sixth overall with a total of 50 golds, 73 silvers, and 154 bronzes.
Outside of the SEA Games gold winners, Grandmaster Joey Antonio and two-time World 10-ball and 9-ball champion Rubilen Amit banner the others to be cited by the country's oldest media organization in the event also backed by major sponsors Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, Cignal, Premier Volleyball League, Philippine Basketball Association, Akari, Rain or Shine, Capital1 Solar Energy and Acrocity.
Jemyca Mendoza, Jennifer Tan Uy, Regie Ramirez, Darry Bernardo, Cheyzer Mendoza, Joshua Pacio, Carlos Baylon Jr., the women's ice hockey team, and Sean Gibbons are likewise receiving citations during the traditional awards night.