By Joaquin Luis E. Quesada

There were a total of 15 athletes from Far Eastern University (FEU) who competed in the various sporting events in the 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Hanoi, Vietnam, from May 12-23.

The FEU athletes contributed 13 medals to the country’s 226 total medals earned in the multi-sporting event.

The national team delegates who finished on the podium namely Clare Castro defended the gold medal in the women’s basketball, and Clinton Bautista claimed the gold medal in the men’s 110m hurdles while setting the new national record with 13.79 seconds in the tourney.

Moreover, Women’s Grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna and Women International Chess Federation (FIDE) Master Shania Mae Mendoza teamed up in the women’s team blitz event for the silver medal, Roger Pogoy bagged the silver medal for the men’s basketball, Janry Ubas with the silver medal finish in the men’s long jump, and Dhane Varela with the silver finish for the men’s beach handball. 

Former FEU volleyball star Bernadeth Pons clinched the bronze medal for the women’s beach volleyball, Joida Gagnao finished with a bronze medal in the women’s 3000m steeplechase and 5000m, Jude Garcia bagged the bronze medal as well for the men’s beach volleyball, Jelly Paragile’s bronze medal in the women’s 100m hurdles, Evalyn Palabrica got the bronze medal in Javelin Throw, Frayna also bagged the bronze medal in the individual blitz event. 

While Kyle Negrito from the indoor women’s volleyball, JP Bugaoan, and Jessie Lopez from the indoor men’s volleyball, fell short of any medal contention in their respective sports.

With the 31st SEA Games officially ending last May 23, the Philippines secured the fourth spot in the total medal tally with 52 gold medals, 70 silver medals, and 104 bronze medals. 

The host country, Vietnam, garnered the highest total medal tally with 205 gold medals, 125 silver, and 116 bronze medals for a total of 446 medals. Thailand is the second with 331 total medals, and Indonesia’s 241 total medals clinched the third spot in the total medal tally.

The 32nd SEA Games will be set in Cambodia with Phnom Penh as the host city, this will be the first time Cambodia will be the host of the biennial multi-sport event.

(File Photos of Andrei Enrico/FEU Advocate, Audrey Vicencio/FEU Advocate, FEU Media Center, Marione Paul G. Infantado/FEU Advocate)