Team Philippines had a relatively modest haul of medals in the recently concluded 20th Asian Games—4 gold, 9 silver, and 16 bronze medals. But it was good enough to nudge past the country’s 18‑medal performance three years ago in Hangzhou, China, and to at least inspire hope that the Philippines’ sporting landscape could finally be trending in the right direction. That’s because Team Philippines won medals in 16 sporting events this time compared to only 11 in 2023, and they could have easily won nine gold medals instead of just four had the breaks gone their way.
That is why it is only prudent and right that we highlight through a series of features Team Philippines’ medal winners at the 20th Asian Games for showing on a global stage what the Filipino can do in sports and that, indeed, the Filipino can. Think of this as Rebanse’s own little way of honoring the proud and talented athletes who sacrificed so much and represented the Philippines as best they could. It is a tribute well earned, and we’ll start, rightfully, with our gold‑medal winners.
Carlos Yulo
Carlos Yulo needs no introduction. Here’s one anyway: He’s a world‑class gymnast and one of Asia’s best, in fact. He has won multiple championships across different competitions, including two gold medals in the same Olympics, making him the only Filipino to accomplish the feat. Naturally, many expected Yulo to conquer the Asian Games. And he delivered for Team Philippines.
Yulo won the Philippines’ first gold medal in the 20th Asian Games with a dazzling showing in his pet event, the floor exercise, where he delivered a near‑flawless performance. A day later, he doubled up, winning gold in men’s vault as well, completing the same double‑gold feat he accomplished in Paris. After the Asiad, he became one of only two Filipinos—the other being Filipina trailblazer Hidilyn Diaz—to win everything there is on offer: Olympics, World Championship, Asian Games, Asian Championship, and SEA Games.
EJ Obiena
EJ Obiena has spent years being called Asia’s best pole vaulter, and at Aichi‑Nagoya, he made sure nobody could argue otherwise. The two‑time Olympian entered the Games as the defending champion, carrying the Asian record of 6.00 meters and a résumé already stacked with continental titles. Still, his form over the previous three years had been inconsistent enough to raise real questions about whether he could rediscover his best in Nagoya. He answered those questions emphatically.
Obiena defended his Asian Games crown on a rain‑soaked Tuesday at Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium, clearing 5.91 meters to set a new Games record and surpass his own previous mark of 5.90 meters from Hangzhou in 2023. He missed his first two attempts at 5.80 meters before finally clearing that height, then had the gold already secured by the time his closest remaining rival, China’s Li Chenyang, missed at the same mark. Rather than stop there, Obiena pushed on, clearing 5.91 meters on his final attempt to claim the record outright. The win marked Obiena’s 10th title of an eventful 2026 season and delivered Team Philippines its third gold of the Games, right behind Yulo’s double.
Jeus Gabriel Yape
Jeus Gabriel Yape arrived at these Asian Games without the name recognition of Yulo or Obiena, competing in a discipline most casual fans had never even heard of. By the time he left Aichi‑Nagoya, he’d given Team Philippines a gold medal in a sport that barely resembles traditional taekwondo at all.
The 22‑year‑old delivered Team Philippines’ fourth gold of the Games by beating Vietnam’s Ngoc Tuyet Sang Chau, 2‑0, in the mixed individual virtual taekwondo event on a Friday morning at Toyohashi Gymnasium in Aichi. Virtual taekwondo is a digital, non‑contact sport where athletes wear a headset and sensors that track their movements in real time, with their actions mirrored by on‑screen avatars battling inside a virtual arena rather than making any physical contact with an opponent. Because the mixed individual event carries no separate gender or weight divisions, Yape’s path to gold ran straight through a 21‑year‑old female opponent, a structural quirk unique to the discipline. The win capped a strong 48 hours for Yape personally—he’d already claimed bronze the day before in the more traditional men’s individual poomsae event, giving him two medals in two very different taekwondo disciplines within a single Asiad.
A Golden Reminder for Team Philippines
Together, Yulo, Obiena, and Yape gave Team Philippines its brightest moments in Nagoya. Their victories weren’t just medals—they were statements. They showed that Filipino athletes can excel across traditional and emerging sports, that resilience and innovation can both lead to gold. For a nation still chasing consistency in international competition, this golden trio offered a glimpse of what’s possible when talent, preparation, and belief come together.
