MANILA – Chezka Centeno of Zamboanga City delivered another silver medal for Team Philippines in the World Games Wednesday night, Aug. 13, 2025, after absorbing a 6-7 loss to Chinese cue artist Han Yu in the women’s 10-ball final at the Civil Aviation Flight University of China - Tianfu Campus Gymnasium in Chengdu, China.
Centeno rallied from 0-3 to move within one rack of claiming victory, but a crucial scratch on a safety play for the first ball allowed Han to dominate the deciding frame.
“I did not expect that mistake. But I’m still happy. This medal is for our country. I hope I still made you all proud,” Centeno said after the match.
She won over Mayte Ropero of Spain in the quarterfinals and China’s Liu Shasha in the semis. In the preliminaries, Centeno beat American Savannah Easton before yielding to Han in her second match.
Team Philippines now has three medals. Kaila Napolis won the silver in women’s 52kg ju-jitsu, while Carlos Baylon Jr. got a bronze in men’s wushu sanda 56kg class.
Meanwhile, Filipino male duathletes completed the 5km run-30km bike-5km run event at Xinglong Lake Hubin in Chengdu, but finished well behind the leading pack.
Cebu’s pride Franklin Yee, the newest member of the national team, emerged as the best Filipino finisher, placing 24th out of 34 competitors.
Yee clocked 1:20:37 -- over six minutes behind gold medalist Benjamin Choquert of France. Maynard Pecson followed in 28th with a time of 1:23:59, while Patrick Ciron wound up 30th in 1:26:50.
Female duathletes Merry Joy Trupa, Kim Mangrobang, and Bea Quimbao will see action Friday.
The men will combine forces with the women in the Mixed Relay on Saturday, Aug. 16.
In women’s kickboxing, Hergie Bacyadan suffered a disputed 1-2 loss to Aleksandra Krstic of Serbia in the K1-70kg bronze medal match.
Bacyadan landed cleaner and stronger combinations throughout the fight, but two judges inexplicably favored Krstic.
Team Philippines is currently tied with Australia and Vietnam at 48th in the medal standings with two silvers and a bronze medal heading into the last three days of competition. / PNA / RP2 SPORTS