The Philippines suffered multiple close heartbreaks at the Asian Youth Games in Bahrain, with medal hopes slipping away in dramatic fashion across several fronts.

Alas Pilipinas finished fourth in volleyball, while jiujitsu contenders and young cyclists also came agonizingly close to podium breakthroughs before ultimately settling short.

Alas Pilipinas denied bronze after tense battle

Alas Pilipinas pushed Thailand in a tight three-set duel but came away empty-handed in the bronze match. The Filipinas scored big runs in every set, yet crucial late errors and defensive lapses kept them from closing out rallies.

Rhose Almendralejo led the national youth squad with 15 points, while Harlyn Serneche and Samantha Cantada added eight apiece. Middle blocker Jai Adrao chipped in five points, including two blocks, and said the team’s struggle in the final points made the difference.

Despite the result, the team remained thankful for supporters, crediting Filipino fans abroad and at home for lifting their morale throughout the competition. Adrao said the squad embraced the experience and vowed to build on the lessons from the campaign.

Jiujitsu and cycling efforts fall painfully short

Three Filipino jiujitsu bets also ended just outside medal territory after dropping their bronze medal contests. Zeus Babanto lost via submission late in the boys’ -85kg match, while Sachi Khonghun and Jin Gabriel Ong were outpointed in the girls’ -52kg and boys’ -56kg divisions, respectively.

All three stayed competitive in early rounds, securing key wins before running into tougher matchups in their final bouts. Coaches emphasized that the exposure and intensity will help the athletes in future tournaments.

In cycling, CJ Cabrejos placed 12th in the boys’ road race, finishing only 21 seconds behind the champion after staying with the main group for most of the 99.6-kilometer route. Fellow riders Carl Laurence Espinosa and Joelian Abdul Hamid were unable to finish the grueling race in Zallaq.