PARIS (Via PLDT Home)—Demonstrating its prowess on the global sporting stage, the Philippines finished tied for 37th overall and became the best Southeast Asian nation on the strength of two golds and the same number of bronze medals on Sunday for its best ever showing in the Olympic Games.
Gymnast Carlos Yulo’s double gold in the floor exercise and vault, combined with boxing bronze medals for Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas, propelled the Philippines to a shared 35th place in the overall medal count with Hong Kong China.
Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richard Bachmann expressed satisfaction of the team’s accomplishments, highlighting their Southeast Asian dominance and Asia-wide ranking of seventh.
“We’re the best performer in Southeast Asia and No. 7 in Asia,” Tolentino said on Sunday just hours before the closing ceremony for the 2024 Paris Olympics. “We wanted more but with two gold and two bronze medals, should we ask for more from Paris?”
Bachmann added: “The Paris Olympics has officially ended and we reached new heights in Philippine sports history. We cannot imagine the joy flowing through every Filipino as the country secured two golds and two bronze medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics—the highest number we’ve ever achieved.”
United States and China both amassed 40 gold medals, but the US edged the Asian superpower for the no.1 spot in the final medal tally. Japan was 3rd with 20, Australia had 18, and host nation France rounded out the Top 5 with 16 gold medals.
Other Asian countries ahead of the Philippines include 8th place South Korea with 13, Uzbekistan at 13th with eight, Iran at No. 21 with three and Chinese Taipei (two golds with five bronzes) at No. 35.
The Philippines outperformed its Southeast Asian neighbors, including Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore, underscoring the country’s growing stature in the region.
Both Bachmann and Tolentino emphasized the potential for even greater success in the future with a focused program leading up to the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
Tolentino highlighted gymnastics as a particular area of strength, emphasizing the Philippines’ potential for continued success in this “blue-chip” sport.
As the country sets its sights on LA28, an aggressive training regimen is expected to be implemented to maximize the team’s chances of medaling.
“These milestones we have written basically are the fruit of the non-stop support of the government for the sake of the athletes and Philippine sports. This support covers all, from grassroots to elite level. This year, the country’s primary sporting facilities will start its upgrade to cater more aspiring athletes in bid to intensify our global sporting campaign,” said Bachmann. “Congratulations to the Philippines! Let’s all work together to empower our national pride and inspire generations.”
