MANILA — Jean Claude Saclag moved within one victory of delivering the Philippines its first gold medal of the 2026 Asian Games after storming into the men’s traditional mixed martial arts -65-kilogram final on Monday at the Nagoya City Inae Sports Center in Nagoya, Japan.
Saclag punched his ticket to the gold-medal match with a convincing 3-0 semifinal victory over Japan’s Daisuke Murayama, keeping alive the country’s bid for its first championship of the Games.
The Filipino fighter will battle Tajikistan’s Otabek Rajabov in the final this afternoon, with the Philippines seeking to convert its growing medal haul into its first gold.
Carlos Alvarez, meanwhile, added another medal to the Philippine tally after settling for bronze in the men’s traditional -77kg division.
Alvarez bowed to Kazakhstan’s Yerkingali Burkutalin, 3-0, in the semifinals to finish on the podium.
His bronze was the Philippines’ second of the Games after the women’s soft tennis team finished joint third following its semifinal loss to host Japan on Sunday.
The Philippines also turned in victories in several other events Monday.
In men’s 3×3 basketball, Gilas Pilipinas opened its campaign with back-to-back victories, first defeating Mongolia, 19-12.
Nicael Cabañero led the Philippines with seven points, while Koji Buenaflor added six. Andrei Dungo and Luis Pablo contributed three points apiece.
The Filipinos followed up with a 21-12 victory over Sri Lanka, with Cabañero again leading the attack with eight points. Buenaflor and Pablo chipped in six points each.
The Philippines also enjoyed a strong outing in beach volleyball as the women’s tandem of Khylem Progella and Sofiah Pagara overwhelmed Maldives’ Areesha Aminath and Anal Fathimath, 21-6, 21-11.
James Buytrago and Ronniel Rosales likewise prevailed over Mongolia’s Amar Batmunkh and Shijir-erdene Bat-enkh, 21-11, 21-15.
The men’s pair of Alnarkan Abdilla and Lerry John Francisco, however, absorbed a 21-7, 21-10 defeat to Qatar’s Cherif Samba and Ahmed Janko.
In triathlon, the Philippines placed ninth in the men’s mixed relay behind the quartet of Raven Alcoseba, Kim Mangrobang, Kim Remolino and Fernando Casares.
The country’s soft tennis campaign also ended outside the medal round as the pairs of Noelle Mañalac and Samuel Nuguit, and Christy Sanosa and Sherwin Nuguit failed to advance./PN
