Team Philippines surged to third place in the overall standings of the 6th Asian Beach Games after Leonard Grospe delivered the country’s second gold medal on Friday, April 24, in Sanya, China. His victory in the men’s high jump helped match the Philippines’ gold output from a decade ago, just two days into competition.

Grospe leads PH charge with high jump gold

Leonard Grospe provided one of the standout moments of the day, clearing 2.05 meters on his first attempt to clinch the men’s high jump title at the artificial Phoenix Island venue. The 24-year-old athlete from Dilasag, Aurora held his composure in a tight contest to secure the top podium finish.

His performance gave Team Philippines its second gold medal of the Games, strengthening its position in the 45-nation medal race. The country’s strong start has been supported by consistent podium finishes across multiple disciplines.

Grospe expressed satisfaction with the result, noting the challenging conditions of competing in beach athletics for the first time. Despite adjustments needed for the surface, he delivered when it mattered most to secure gold.

Strong start across multiple sports

Earlier, jiu-jitsu provided the Philippines with an early breakthrough as Alexandra Luz Enriquez captured gold in the women’s 63kg division, while Kaila Napolis added a bronze in the -52kg category. The discipline continues to be a reliable source of medals for the delegation.

In beach volleyball, Khylem Progella and Sofia Pagara stayed unbeaten with a dominant straight-sets win over Uzbekistan, while Sunnie Kalani Villapando and Gryzelle Joanice Matibag also improved to 2-0 in pool play after a convincing victory over Mongolia.

Macau’s pair of Leong On Leng and Law Weng Sam rebounded in their campaign with a win over Kazakhstan, adding depth to the early rounds of competition in the cluster.

Mixed fortunes in combat and water sports

In jiu-jitsu, Annie Ramirez and Emily Thomas continued their strong runs in the women’s 57kg category, both securing submission wins in earlier rounds to stay in contention for medals. Ramirez, a two-time Asian Beach Games champion, opened her campaign with a decisive victory over Mengqi Zhang of China.

Team Philippines, however, faced setbacks in the men’s division as several athletes exited early, including flag bearer Yman Baluyo, who was eliminated in the Round of 32.

The dragon boat team finished fifth in the men’s 100m event after narrowly missing qualification for the final. Despite a strong start in the heats, the team was unable to sustain pace in later rounds but showed improvement ahead of upcoming races.

Team captain Ojay Fuentes remained optimistic, emphasizing the value of experience gained and pointing to the 200m and 400m events as stronger opportunities for the squad moving forward.

With medals across jiu-jitsu, athletics, and continued competitive showings in team sports, the Philippines remains firmly in contention as the Asian Beach Games progresses.