Stars deliver as Philippines continues medal rush in SEA Games Day 2

The brightest stars in the Philippine contingent delivered the goods as the host country continued its medal rush in the second official day of Southeast Asian Games competition on Tuesday.

The Philippines won 16 gold medals on Day 2 to push its official tally to 38.

Hidilyn Diaz won her first SEA Games gold medal. Danny Pata

Olympic silver and Asian Games gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz took care of business in the women's 55kg weightlifting event as she secured her first gold medal in the biennial meet. The weightlifting icon did it in front of a rabid crowd that cheered her every move, which she admits took some adjustment on her part.

LIST: Philippine medal winners at SEA Games 2019 - Day 2

"Siyempre overwhelming... Sobrang grateful ako na may nagpupush sa akin," said Diaz, who hopes to parlay the experience into a gold medal campaign in next year's Olympics in Tokyo.

"Alam ko na kung paano i-handle," she said about the emotional response of the crowd. "So maraming maraming salamat sa support."

Gilas Pilipinas had a perfect run through the 3x3 basketball tournmanet. Zeke Alonzo

PBA stars Mo Tautuaa, CJ Perez, Chris Newsome, and Jason Perkins had a perfect sweep of the 3x3 basketball tournament for the second of two golds for the Philippines in the event.
 

The Gilas Pilipinas women let it out after winning the 3x3 gold medal. Zeke Alonzo

Moments earlier, the Gilas Pilipinas women's team of Afril Bernardina, Clare Castro, Jack Animam, and Janine Pontejos won the 3x3 gold as well.

Lea Denise Belgira and John Derrick Farr opened the day on a high note, winning the gold medal in the women's and men's downhill mountain bike, respectively.  Eleazar Barba Jr. made it a 1-2 finish for the men for a silver medal.

Monica Torres won gold in the duathlon, while Edmar Tacuel scored in the seti tinggal singles event in pencak silat.

The arnis team, meanwhile, continued its gold rush, with Jesfer Huquire (men's bantamweight), Elmer Manlapas (men's featherweight), Carloyd Tejada (men's welterweight), Sheena del Monte (women's bantamweight), Jedah Mae Soriano (women's featherweight), Ross Ashley Monville (women's lightweight), and Abegail Abad (women's welterweight) winning seven of eight available golds for the padded stick competition.  Billy Joel Valenzuela -(men's lightweight) also won silver.

Kim Mangrobang, Clare Adorna, John Chicano, and Fernando Caseres continued the Philippines dominance in triathlon with a gold medal in mixed team relay.

FULL COVERAGE: 30th Southeast Asian Games on GMA News Online

Rodel Labayo and Angelo Morales also added a gold medal in lawn ball pairs. The trio of Elmer Abatayo, Hommer Mercado, and Christopher Dagpin and the foursome of Marisa Baronda, Sharon Hauters, Hazel Jagonoy, and Rosita Bradborn also won silvers in lawn ball. The pair of Nenita Tabiano and Vilma Greenlees won bronze.

Joey delos Reyes won a silver in men's duathlon, while Jones Inso scored one in the men's tajijian event in Wushu.

At 65 years old, Celedonio Tayao won the silver in the mixed bench rest air rifle in shooting.

In Kurash, Bianca Mae Estrella bagged a silver in the 70kg female category. Al Rolan Llamas (66kg) and Lloyd Catipon (73kg) won bronze in the men's category, while Sydney Sy settled for third at the 70kg female category. —JST, GMA News