Thursday, October 1, turned into another productive day for Team Philippines at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan. Archer Amaya Amparo Cojuangco and taekwondo jin Juliana Mykhail Candelaria each captured silver, while tennis star Alex Eala and taekwondo’s Jeus Gabriel Derick Yape added bronze medals to the national haul.
The four podium finishes lifted the Philippines to 22 medals at the Aichi-Nagoya Games: three golds, five silvers and 14 bronzes, according to GMA News.
Candelaria’s silver in the women’s individual poomsae was especially historic. At just 18 years old, she delivered the best finish by a Filipino taekwondo athlete at the Asian Games in two decades, since Tshomlee Go and Toni Rivero each won silver at the 2006 edition in Doha, Qatar, Rappler reported.
Competing at Toyohashi Gymnasium, Candelaria posted an average of 9.13 points, finishing behind South Korea’s Jung Ha-eun, who took gold with 9.31. It was her first Asian Games. “I’m super, duper thankful for the opportunity,” she told One Sports, adding that she was “so hyped and so happy” for everyone who competed.
Yape completed the poomsae double for the country with bronze in the men’s individual event. He scored 9.09 points to share the podium with South Korea’s Yun Kyu-sung, who won gold with 9.38, and Thailand’s Navin Pinthasute, who took silver with 9.28. “I did my best, and I gave it my all,” Yape said.
Over at the archery range, Cojuangco claimed silver in the compound women’s individual event, adding another sport to the list of disciplines where Filipinos have reached the podium in Japan. It was one of two silvers for the country on the day.
Eala, one of the country’s most closely followed athletes, secured bronze in women’s singles tennis, giving the Philippines a medal in yet another sport.
The new medals build on a strong week for the delegation. On Tuesday, pole vaulter EJ Obiena successfully defended his Asian Games title for the country’s third gold. That same day, the women’s sepak takraw doubles team took silver, while surfer Jayuard Alciso and runner Victoria Bossong won bronze. Two-time Olympic champion Carlos Yulo leads the overall haul with golds in the floor exercise and vault.
The rest of the medal list shows how broad the Philippine campaign has been. Silver medals have also come from MMA fighter Jean Claude Saclag and the Gilas Pilipinas Women 3×3 team. Bronze medals have come from karate, esports, soft tennis, MMA, weightlifting, gymnastics, athletics and the men’s sepak takraw regu.
More medal chances lie ahead. The strong poomsae results bode well for the rest of the taekwondo team, Rappler noted, with three-time Southeast Asian Games champion Kurt Barbosa and world junior champion Tachiana Mangin also chasing podium spots.
Source: GMA News; Rappler; One Sports
