Alas blanks Hong Kong, finishes 9th in Asian Games women's volleyball

Manila Times - Sep 22, 2026

MANILA, Philippines — Alas Pilipinas blanked Hong Kong, 25-21, 25-9, 30-28, to finish ninth in the 20th Asian Games women's volleyball at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Gymnasium in Japan on Tuesday. Bella Belen poured 18 points including an off-the-block push and a kill for the Philippines, which totaled three wins in classification after defeating Qatar and Mongolia. Alas' quarterfinal bid ended after losses to China and Kazakhstan in Pool B.

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PH bags bronze in Asian Games women’s kata
Sep 22, 2026

PH bags bronze in Asian Games women’s kata

THE Philippine women's kata team claimed a bronze medal in the 20th Asian Games after defeating Thailand 4-1 in the battle for third at the Toyohashi Gymnasium in Japan Tuesday morning. Samantha Emmanuelle Veguillas, Ysabielle Arrogante, and Rebecca Cyril Torres posted scores of 7.8, 7.7, 7.9, 8.7, and 8.1, against Thailand’s 7.6, 7.5, 7.7, 8.5, and 8.3 to seize the last podium spot. The Filipina trio thus handed the Philippines its first-ever medal in the team kata event in the continental meet. "We didn't care which team we're going to face. We just claimed that we will come home with a bronze medal," said Arrogante. The Filipinas started strong with a 5-0 sweep of Cambodia’s Sreynuch Puthea, Oun Sreyda and That Chhenghorng, but went down with a 0-5 loss to powerhouse Iran in the semifinals before bouncing back in the battle for third. “It has been a long journey," said Torres. "We struggled and lost multiple times over the years but we just kept on performing until the end." The Sonny Montalvo-coached Filipina trio gave the Philippines its third medal in the Games following the bronzes won by the women's soft tennis team and mixed martial artist Carlos Alvarez. The Kayla Sanchez-led Philippine swimming team was also gunning for podium finishes Tuesday night. Sanchez and Heather White were set to compete in the women's 100m freestyle final, while Xiandi Chua and Gian Santos were to battle in the women's 200m backstroke and men's 400m individual medley medal rounds, respectively. While the Philippines has struggled early in finding its gold especially after Olympic bronze medalist Aira Villegas, one of the country's favorites to make a podium finish, did a quick exit in the women's boxing 51kg, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Bambol Tolentino remains hopeful that the country's delegation can meet his 8-gold prediction. “There’s no backing down from this. Like I said, there’s nothing wrong with dreaming. It doesn’t cost us anything, it’s free,” said Tolentino, emphasizing that the tournament is just getting started. “That’s more than 10 [potential gold medals]. So we haven’t lost hope yet. Definitely, we will have gold medals."