PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – Another heartbreak will not stop boxer Irish Magno from chasing a coveted gold medal in the Southeast Asian Games.

A SEA Games title remained elusive for the pride of Iloilo as she yielded to Thailand’s Jutamas Jitpong in the women’s 54kg class via unanimous decision at the Chroy Changvar Convention Center here on Saturday, May 14.

“Maybe it is not just for me yet,” Magno said in Filipino about her failed gold bid. “I still have to persevere and work harder in training.”

The 31-year-old has fallen short of the top prize in the SEA Games over the past decade.

She bagged bronze in 2013 in Myanmar then settled for three consecutive silver finishes in 2015 in Singapore, 2019 in the Philippines, and 2021 in Vietnam.

A fourth straight SEA Games finals appearance raised hopes that Magno would finally break her golden dry spell, but they were eventually dashed by Jitpong, the same Thai foe that eliminated the Filipina in the Tokyo Games.

“It hurts. I thought this was my time. But we should not lose faith,” Magno said.

“We need to train harder next time because what I want is a gold. I’ll never stop until I win a gold. I’ll keep on fighting.”

Rogen Ladon (men’s 51kg) and Riza Pasuit (women’s 63kg) also settled for silvers on Saturday as Ian Clark Bautista (men’s 57kg) clinched the Philippines’ first gold in this SEA Games.

The Philippines has five more golden bets in Carlo Paalam (men’s 54kg), Nesthy Petecio (women’s 57kg), Paul Julyfer Bascon (men’s 60kg), Norlan Petecio (men’s 67kg), and John Marvin (men’s 80kg). – Rappler.com