MANILA, Philippines – Christine Hallasgo snagged silver in women’s marathon as the Philippines concluded the Southeast Asian Games athletics competition in Vietnam with a 26-medal haul on Thursday, May 19.

Hallasgo clocked 2 hours and 56.07 minutes, finishing a minute short of defending the gold she won in the 2019 SEA Games.

She eclipsed her time of 2:56.56 in her golden run nearly three years ago, but Indonesia’s Odekta Naibaho proved to be faster by crossing the finish line first with a time of 2:55.28 for the gold.

Vietnam’s Hoang Thi Ngoc Hoa settled for bronze with 2:57.35.

Just like the past SEA Games, the Philippines landed at third place in the athletics medal tally, churning out 5 golds, 7 silvers, and 14 bronzes.

Vietnam topped the athletics competitions for the third straight SEA Games with 22 golds, 15 silvers, and 8 bronzes, while Thailand placed second with 12 golds, 11 silvers, and 8 bronzes.

Pole vault star EJ Obiena headlined the Philippines’ athletics campaign by setting a new SEA Games record of 5.46 meters to retain his gold.

Eric Cray (men’s 400m hurdles), William Morrison (men’s shot put), and Clinton Kingsley Bautista (men’s 110m hurdles) also defended their SEA Games thrones.

The only Filipina to bag an athletics gold in this edition, Kayla Richardson reigned in the women’s 100m to recapture the gold she won in the 2015 SEA Games.

Kyla Richardson (women’s 200m), Hokett delos Santos (men’s pole vault), Janry Ubas (men’s long jump), Aries Toledo (decathlon), Sarah Dequinan (heptathlon), Harry Diones (men’s triple jump) all clinched silver.

Morrison (men’s discus throw), Ubas (men’s decathlon), and Kayla Richardson (women’s 200m) plucked bronze as well on top of their other medals.

The other bronze winners include Joida Gagnao (women’s 5000m and 3000m steeplechase), Alfrence Braza (men’s 1500m), Melvin Calano (men’s javelin throw), Sonny Wagdos (men’s 5000m), Jelly Paragile (women’s 100m hurdles), Alyana Nicolas (women’s pole vault), Robyn Brown (women’s 400m hurdles), and Evalyn Palabrica (women’s javelin throw).

Completing the list of bronze medalists are Bernalyn Bejoy, Jessel Lumapas, Edgardo Alejan Jr, and Joyme Sequita (4×400 mixed relay) and Bejoy, Brown, Eloise Medina, and Maureen Schrijvers (women’s 4×400 relay). – Rappler.com