NAGOYA—The Philippine women’s sepak takraw team ended years of coming home without a medal, winning historic silver at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games. Vietnam took the women’s doubles gold Tuesday, September 29, 15-8, 15-4, at Mizuho Park Gymnasium.

Abegail Sinogbuhan, Jean Marie Sucalit and substitute Nelly Jay Salon delivered the country’s best-ever sepak takraw finish at the Asian Games. It was also the first Asian Games final and podium appearance for Philippine women’s sepak takraw.

Vietnam Beats Philippines in Women’s Doubles Final

Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Thu Trang, Nguyen Thi Khanh Ly and Le Thi Hong Lien took control of the final. The Philippine trio struggled to match their pace.

Vietnam began to pull away midway through the opening set, and the Philippines could not close the gap. The Vietnamese side carried that momentum into the second set, built an early advantage and never looked back.

The Philippines reached the final with a 2-1 record in Group B, beating host Japan and India before losing to South Korea. The team then swept Laos, 15-12, 15-10, in the semifinals to book its place in the gold-medal match.

Historic Silver Lifts Philippine Asian Games Medal Haul

Team captain Sinogbuhan admitted to having mixed emotions after the team exceeded expectations. “Pero natapos po itong doubles event namin, binigay sa amin ni Lord itong silver medal. Sobrang sarap sa pakiramdam,” she said.

Sucalit said the medal made the hardships of past competitions more meaningful. “Yung feeling na ang sakit sa part namin na tuwing uuwi kami ng Pilipinas, wala kaming dalang medalya. Ngayon awa ng diyos may dala na kami. Silver pa,” she said.

The silver is the Philippines’ second sepak takraw medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Games, following the men’s regu team’s bronze after reaching the semifinals. It is also the country’s third silver of the Games.

It joins Jean Claude Saclag’s silver in men’s traditional 65kg MMA and the Gilas Pilipinas Women’s U-23 3×3 silver. The result adds another podium finish to the Philippine campaign in Aichi-Nagoya.

Sepak Takraw Pilipinas president Karen Tanchanco-Caballero praised the team’s years of hard work and sacrifice. “Nothing but great pride and honor,” she said. “We needed this break for a long time.”

Tanchanco-Caballero said she wanted to sit beside the players as team manager, not as a national sports association president. She added that she wanted to share the journey with them.

Gold stayed out of reach, but the silver is a significant result for Philippine sepak takraw. For Sinogbuhan, Sucalit and Salon, it capped a historic run.