HELD IN Cambodia for the first time in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games’ 64-year history, the Philippines brought in the best talents the country had to offer. The Filipino athletes came back home with 260 medals, ranking fifth among the 11 competing countries. Their medal tally included 58 golds, 86 silvers, and 116 bronze medals.
Of those 260 awards, five of them came from current student-athletes of the Ateneo De Manila University. These Blue Eagles had to make adjustments in their academic ventures to represent their country, showcase their talent, and bring home glory. These four individuals were able to step on the podium for their school, and more importantly, for their country.
Thanya Dela Cruz
Sport: 4×100 Meter Medley Relay (Women’s & Mixed)
Finish: Two silvers (Women’s & Mixed)
Considered by many as the Queen of the Breaststroke in the Philippines, FAST Ateneo Swimming Team (FAST) member Thanya Dela Cruz carried over her rich form into the 2023 SEA Games.
Before the regional meet, Dela Cruz dominated the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) waters in just her first collegiate season. The tanker won three gold medals in UAAP Season 85 as she delivered record-breaking times of 31.11 seconds in the 50-meter Breaststroke, 1:08.64 in the 100-meter Breaststroke, and 2:30.42 in the 200-meter Breaststroke.
Coming into this year’s regional competition, a lot was expected of the Philippine Swimming Team to improve on their 1-3-3 gold-silver-bronze medal finish from the 2021 SEA Games. True enough, with the injection of young and burgeoning swimmers coupled with experienced veterans, the team came home with a 2-7-7 gold-silver-bronze medal tally in this year’s edition of the SEA Games.
Two of those silver medals would not have been possible without the Atenean swimmer. Despite narrowly missing out on a podium finish in the Women’s 50-meter and 100-meter Breaststroke, finishing fifth and fourth respectively, the 20-year-old tanker was able to redeem herself in the other events. She contributed to the Philippines by grabbing second place in both the 4×100 Women’s Medley Relay (3:57.01) and the 4×100 Mixed Medley Relay (4:11.81).
Mika De Guzman
Sport: Badminton Team (Women’s)
Finish: Bronze
After claiming co-MVP honors en route to Ateneo’s three-peat UAAP title, Mika De Guzman flew to Cambodia and helped the Philippine Women’s National Badminton Team achieve the bronze medal in the 2023 SEA Games. Landing on a podium spot was a momentous achievement for the country’s badminton team as this was their first medal since Ronel Estanislao and Joper Escueta placed third in the Men’s Doubles event back in 2015.
In their first game of the regional meet, the Women’s Team pulled off a massive win as they defeated Malaysia, 3-0. De Guzman played the first Singles game of that match, outplaying Tan Zhing Yi in straight games, 24-22, 21-18. Building off the momentum that the Atenean created, her teammates Alyssa Ysabel Leonardo and Thea Marie Pomar defeated their Malaysian foes in the Doubles game, 22-20, 19-21, 24-22. Bianca Carlos put the finishing touches on the match as she scored a 21-16, 21-18 win over Malaysia’s Siti Nurshuhaini in the second Singles game.
With their win versus the Malaysians, De Guzman and her teammates qualified for the semifinals, assuring them of at least a bronze medal in this year’s games. Unfortunately, the Women’s team’s historic run ended in the penultimate round of the event as they fell to regional powerhouse Indonesia, 0-3. Nevertheless, the current team captain of the Ateneo Women’s Badminton Team says that she is thankful for her experiences during the 2023 SEA Games and will use these as building blocks for future competitions.
“One thing I learned in this year’s SEA Games is that it’s vital to always fight with heart. I realized that in Badminton, playing with heart is beyond simply finding one’s own will,” De Guzman claimed. “That said, I am very grateful that I was able to play with my whole heart and gave my all for my team and for our country,” she added.
Mason Amos
Sport: Basketball Team (Men’s)
Finish: Gold
Despite not having played a single minute yet for the Ateneo Men’s Basketball Team in the Seniors division of the UAAP, Mason Amos has already garnered massive media attention since being recruited by Head Coach Tab Baldwin back in 2022. The 6’7 big man possesses a unique skill set that very few players his size can match, and he has done well to put this on display as proven by his inclusion in the Under-18 National Basketball Team last season.
Amos showcased his talent for the first time on the international stage last year, showing off his elite shooting and savvy touch around the basket during the U18 FIBA Asia Championship in Iran. He averaged 25 points in the group phase to lead the way for the young stars, putting the Philippine basketball fans on notice for what he has in store for the future.
The dazzling U18 tournament performance by the then 17-year old awarded him a spot in the 12-man roster that Gilas Pilipinas had sent out for the FIBA World Cup 2023 Asian Qualifiers last February. Unfazed by the bright lights in his seniors debut, Amos dropped a whopping 13 points on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting clip in just eight minutes of play. With each performance, he continued to demonstrate his remarkable talent, cementing his place as a rising star in Philippine basketball.
While the Fil-Aussie prospect has participated in FIBA-sanctioned events before, he had not yet experienced an international competition with a medal finish on the line. However, this changed when he got the call to represent the country in the 2023 SEA Games. Once again, the young Blue Eagle showed flashes of basketball brilliance in limited minutes, making a significant contribution in key games to secure gold for the Philippine National team. As an 18-year old still adjusting to life in the country, Amos expressed that this victory was a “dream come true” for him.
Not only did he mention that it was a blessing for him to represent the country, but he also shared his thoughts on how this rare opportunity can translate into his collegiate career. “It was a challenge having to guard guys bigger and more athletic than me so hopefully I can bring that into the UAAP,” said the Blue Eagle.
Joaquin Tuzon
Sport: Recognized Poomsae Team (Men’s)
Finish: Silver
Now in his second year representing the Blue and White, the poomsae prodigy has already established himself as a prominent figure in the local taekwondo scene. Throughout his 12-year career, he has consistently achieved podium finishes in several local tournaments. Recently, he showcased his talent in the UAAP Season 85 Taekwondo Competition, wherein Tuzon achieved bronze in the mixed division and the gold medal in the individual event for Ateneo.
Although his success in the country has paved the way for international recognition, the taekwondo jin’s journey was not without its challenges at the beginning. Falling short of a national team spot in 2016, Tuzon’s unwavering determination led him to eventually reach his dream the very next year. From there, success followed him as he would rack home several awards to the trophy case every single year since 2021. Before the SEA Games, his most recent achievement came at last year’s ASIAN Taekwondo Championships held in South Korea, which saw the Laoageuño bag a silver medal for the Recognized Team Male U30 tournament.
Having triumphed in various tournaments already, Tuzon was now faced with the biggest challenge of his young career—taking on the finest poomsae talents from across Southeast Asia. The huge obstacle evidently did not affect his performance, as the BS Management student, alongside Patrick King Perez and Ian Matthew Corton, secured a silver medal in the Men’s Recognized Poomsae Team category. The sophomore now comes home to Loyola Heights carrying more hardware and bigger aspirations as he continues to represent both the Ateneo and the Philippines.
