SIBOL Naraka: Bladepoint closed its 20th Asian Games campaign on a high note, escaping Hong Kong, 2-1, to cap a challenging group-stage run on Wednesday at the Aichi Sky Expo in Japan.

The Philippines finished Pool B with a 1-2 record, placing third in a competitive group that also featured Vietnam, Chinese Taipei, and Hong Kong. The result left SIBOL outside the top two spots needed to advance to the semifinals.

Backed by the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee, SIBOL opened the group stage with losses to Chinese Taipei and Vietnam, ending its hopes of reaching the semifinals.

Still, the Filipinos refused to go quietly, battling Hong Kong down to the wire as they looked to finish their Asian Games campaign on a winning note.

Team captain Joaquin Paclibar set the tone in Game 1 (solo), delivering a commanding performance and taking down Mingjie Wang twice to put SIBOL ahead, 1-0, in the best-of-three series.

The trio of Richard Espejo, Von Teñoso, and Kenneth Perez could not duplicate their skipper’s strong start in Game 2, falling to Fanny Fung Ching Wong, Yu Hin Wong, and Kevin Lam as Hong Kong forced a deciding game.

With support from Smart, Cignal, TV5, and Arena Social, SIBOL regrouped for the decider and held off Hong Kong to close its campaign with a victory.

Although the Filipinos fell short of the semifinals, Paclibar viewed their Asian Games stint as a valuable learning experience, particularly after showing that Filipino players can compete against some of the best in the international scene.

“For this group stage, we’re confident that we executed what we practiced. But the teams at this level are really good, and they adapt very quickly. That’s something we still need to improve on,” Paclibar said.

“Qualifying through Singapore and then making it to Japan gave us proof that there are players from the Philippines who can compete at a high level. The hours we’ve put in throughout our growth have all led to this moment, and we’re very grateful,” he added.

SIBOL will next turn its attention to Karl Gonzalvo’s Puyo Puyo Champions campaign on Thursday. Gonzalvo is set to face Japan at 9:20 a.m., Kazakhstan at 10 a.m., South Korea at 10:40 a.m., and Hong Kong at 11:20 a.m. in Pool A.

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Despite a few setbacks through the opening days of the 2026 Asian Games, Philippine Olympic Committee President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino remains steadfast in his prediction that Team Pilipinas can win at least eight gold medals.

Tolentino refused to lower his expectations after the Philippines saw several medal hopes fall short, including Jean Claude Saclag, who settled for silver after losing in the gold medal match of the men’s traditional mixed martial arts -65kg division.

Aira Villegas also bowed out of the women’s -51kg division, while swimmer Kayla Sanchez still has two individual events remaining in her campaign — the 50m freestyle and 100m backstroke — with opportunities to add to the country’s medal haul.

But for Tolentino, there is still plenty of time for the Philippines to make good on his ambitious target.

“Walang atrasan ‘to. Sabi ko nga, hindi naman masama ang mangarap eh. Wala namang bayad ‘yan, libre ‘yun,” Tolentino said, stressing that the Games are still in their early stages.

Asked which athletes and teams he expects to lead the Philippines’ gold-medal campaign, Tolentino quickly named a deep group of contenders led by Alex Eala, Carlos Yulo, EJ Obiena, the national boxing team, Victoria Bosong, the 3×3 basketball squads, Mobile Legends, and jiu-jitsu.

“Lampas sampu pa ‘yun. So hindi pa tayo nawawalan ng pag-asa. Definitely, meron tayong golds,” he said.

Tolentino also pointed to the improved support given to Filipino athletes compared to previous Asian Games cycles.

With increased funding, training allowances, and the hiring of foreign coaches, he believes Team Pilipinas is better equipped to compete against nations that have invested heavily in their sports programs and naturalized athletes.

The POC chief is also aiming for the Philippines to surpass its previous four-gold medal haul, with several medal events still to come in the Games. For Tolentino, the message to the athletes remains straightforward as they enter the crucial stretch of competition.

“Laban lang. No replay… gamit din ng strategy. ’Pag lamang na, ’wag nang gigil.”

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Alas Pilipinas Women hardly broke a sweat in dispatching youthful Qatar, 25-8, 25-2, 25-9, to advance to the classification round of the 20th Asian Games on Sunday at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Gymnasium in Japan.

The Philippines’ experience and composure proved too much for a Qatar side averaging just 17.58 years old, as Alas overwhelmed its young opposition from the opening serve and allowed just 19 points across three sets.

The dominant victory gave Alas its first win of the tournament and snapped a two-game skid following losses to China and Kazakhstan in the group phase.

Alas put the mismatch on full display in the second set, rattling off 19 consecutive points to turn the frame into a rout. Amie Provido led the charge, scoring 11 of her game-high 19 points in the set alone.

Provido delivered a commanding all-around performance, converting 11 kills on 14 attempts while adding four blocks and four aces for the Philippines.

Shaina Nitura and Bella Belen also finished in double figures with 10 points apiece, while Nina Ytang and Alyssa Solomon added seven and six points, respectively.

The numbers further highlighted Alas’ dominance, with the Philippines recording 39 attacks on 61 attempts, 11 blocks, and nine aces in the 52-minute victory.

Qatar, meanwhile, managed just eight attacks and two blocks, while nine of its 19 total points came from Philippine errors.

Alas will face Mongolia next on Monday, with a spot in the ninth-place match at stake. The loser will drop to the 11th-place match.

Sumaia Almadhoun led Qatar with four points.

Qatar, on the other hand, will take on Kyrgyzstan in the 13th-place match.

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