Gilas Pilipinas buckled down to business right away, routing Bahrain, 89-61, to kick off its 19th Asian Games campaign on a rousing note on Tuesday, September 26, at the HOC Olympic Stadium.
![PH Taekwondo Kyorugi team in training [photo credit: Philippine Taekwondo Association Facebook]](https://sportsbytes.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/380660068_1301224510522795_4651258810693879023_n-400x200.jpg)
Filipino Taekwondo jins failed to hit their stride on the third playing day of competitions in the19th Asian Games.
![Jack Animam spearheads the Gilas Pilipinas Womens five set to debut at the 2023 Asian Games [photo credit: Jack Animam]](https://sportsbytes.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/380800973_18381926143000224_3754040037677004021_n-e1695735093645-400x200.jpg)
Awaiting the Filipina cagebelles in its opening game in the 19th edition of the meet is Kazakhstan, a perennial contender which made the quarterfinals of the quadrennial showpiece’s last two staging.
![Philippine team head coach Tim Cone giving instructions to his players. [PBA Images]](https://sportsbytes.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/PBA-Images155-400x200.jpg)
The real test begins for Gilas Pilipinas on Tuesday, September 26, when it makes its highly-anticipated debut in the 19th Asian Games.
![John Bismarck Lina [photo from John Bismarck Lina Facebook]](https://sportsbytes.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/26114017_1655320191155968_3866524037463251856_n-e1695651968393-400x200.jpg)
Left to carry the fight in 3×3 basketball competitions, the Philippine men’s team rose to the occasion and hacked out a 13-8 victory over Jordan in the 19th Asian Games on Monday, September 25.
![Kurt Barbosa [photo from Kurt Barbosa OLY Instagram]](https://sportsbytes.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/286195998_3216383108646806_315145271631078618_n-e1695651047417-400x200.jpg)
The Philippines lost another top medal hopeful after Tokyo Games veteran Kurt Barbosa dropped his opening round match to Uzbekistan’s Omonjon Otajonov at the start of taekwondo’s Kyorugi (free sparring) event in the 19th Asian Games.
![Jericho Francisco [photo credit: kiko francisco Instagram]](https://sportsbytes.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/56242988_686157138465299_5550650467689594913_n-400x200.jpg)
Philippine Olympic Committee President Abraham Tolentino felt that JR Francisco got the raw end of the judging as the Filipino skateboarder missed the podium Monday in the men’s park event of the 19th Asian Games.
![Alex Eala of the Philippines [photo credit; Alex Eala Instagram]](https://sportsbytes.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/377680679_691074495799048_6698927092905422118_n-400x200.jpg)
Alex Eala dominated Sarah Ibrahim Khan in her Asiad debut on Monday, September 25, whipping her Pakistani foe, 6-0, 6-0, in the 19th Asian Games at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre.
![Aaron Jude Bado (center) with coach Ronald Chavez (right) [photo credit; asbc_official Instagram]](https://sportsbytes.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/327156333_206339278616463_9068267724302809274_n-400x200.jpeg)
The national men’s boxing team suffered its first casualty in Aaron Jude Bado, who lost his debut fight in the 19th Asian Games on Monday, September 25, at the Hangzhou gymnasium.
![Kayla Sanchez of the Philippines [PSC-POC photo]](https://sportsbytes.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/received_170366996110061-400x200.jpeg)
Tokyo Olympics medalist Kayla Sanchez debuted for the Philippines in the women’s 4x100m freestyle but the country will still have to wait for its first Asiad swimming medal in 25 years, as the Pinay tankers missed the podium of the 19th Asian Games.