Taekwondo debuts with medals as athletics add to Philippines' Cambodia SEAG medal haul

Taekwondo events started in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games on Friday and already added four medals to the Philippines' medal haul.

Aside from the two gold medals from Patrick Perez and the women's poomsae team of Jocel Lyn Ninobla, Aidaine Laxa, and Nicole Labayne, the mixed recognized poomsae pair and the mixed freestyle team of Juvenile Crisostomo, Jordan Dominguez, Darius Venerable, Justin Macario, and Zyka Santiago also claimed bronze medals.

In athletics, the team of Kyla Richardson, Robyn Brown, and Maureen Schrijvers, bagged a silver medal from the women's 4x400m relay, while Gennah Malapit also had one from women's javelin throw. Evelyn Palabrica also had a bronze medal in the women's javelin throw.

Earlier, fencer Sam Catantan settled for a silver after suffering an injury, while wushu's Gideon Padua also got a silver from men's sanda 60 kg. Ronald Oranza of cycling also copped a bronze medal from the men's road individual mass start.

The Philippines had 12 medals overall from Friday's affairs with four from each podium finish. The country ranked sixth overall, as of writing, with 31 golds, at least 55 silvers and 73 bronze medals for a total of 159.

—Justin Kenneth Carandang/JMB, GMA Integrated News