THE men and women’s Philippine national beach volleyball teams collected two golds, a silver, and two bronze medals in the 2022 Australia Beach Volleyball Tour Championships on Sunday at the Coolangatta Beach in Brisbane, Australia.
The beach volleyball squads are undergoing a one-month training program in Brisbane for their campaign in the May 12 to 23 Vietnam SEA Games. So far, the intense training is paying off as Jovelyn Gonzaga's first partnership with Dij Rodriguez proved to be a fruitful one after their 18-21, 21-19, 15-13 conquest of local bets Alice Zeimann and Anna Donlan in the Women's Challenger Division I final.
Ranran Abdilla and Jaron Requinton also won the gold medal via a 22-20, 21-17 decision over Issa Batrane and Frederick Bialokoz in the Men's Challenger Division I.
Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons bagged the silver after pulling of a gallant stand against Nikki Laird and Phoebe Bell, 18-21, 12-21, in the final of the Women's Elite group.
Nene Bautista and Gen Eslapor, who liked Gonzaga and Rodriguez are paired for the first time, scored a 21-13, 21-19 victory over Saskia De Haan and Lisa-marie Moegle to clinch bronze in Women's Challenger Division I.
Pemie Bagalay and James Buytrago also took a bronze in the Men's Challenger Division I with a 21-17, 21-12 win over Thomas Heptinstall and Jed Walker.
The sixth Philippine pair, Jude Garcia and Krung Arbasto, reached the Men's Challenger Division I quarterfinals.
The Philippines clinched two bronze medals in beach volleyball in the 2019 Philippines SEA Games. (JNP)