Another Cebuano wins historic silver for Philippines at 20th Asian Games

CEBU, Philippines — Another Cebuano delivered a historic medal for the Philippines at the 20th Asian Games in Japan.

Jean Marie Sucalit from the municipality of Catmon in northern Cebu was part of the Philippine team that won the country’s first-ever silver medal in sepak takraw women’s doubles at the quadrennial Games on Tuesday, September 29, at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Gymnasium.

The 25-year-old Sucalit is the second Cebuano athlete to medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Games 2026 after Consolacion native Maria Victoria Pasilang, who helped Gilas Pilipinas women secure a silver in 3x3 basketball. It was Phl’s first podium finish since the sport debuted at the Asian Games in 2018.

Sucalit, together with team captain Abegail Sinogbuhan and reserve Nelly Jay Salon, advanced to the championship after sweeping past Laos, 15-12, 15-10, in the semifinals.

However, they fell short of a breakthrough gold after losing to Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Thu Trang, Nguyen Thi Khanh Ly and Le Thi Hong Lien in the final, 0-2 (8-15, 4-15).

The Filipinas may have missed the ultimate prize, but their silver-medal performance marked a memorable milestone for Philippine sepak takraw.

“Nothing but great pride and honor. All their hard work not just months but years leading to this. We needed this break for a long time. I’m just so proud, that’s why I was very specific that I wanted to really sit beside them as team manager, not as an NSA President. Because I want to share this journey with them. All the sacrifices that the’ve been through,” Sepak Takraw Pilipinas president Karen Tanchanco-Caballero said. — (FREEMAN)