Philippines (PH) Team A, primarily composed of Davao City athletes, emerged as the overall champion of the 11th BIMP-Eaga Friendship Games, collecting 31 golds, 39 silvers, and 22 bronzes in Puerto Princesa on December 5, 2024.
Malaysia B finished second with 17 golds, 16 silvers, and 19 bronzes, while Indonesia secured third place with 14 golds, eight silvers, and six bronzes. PH Team E placed fourth with 13 golds, eight silvers, and 11 bronzes, followed by PH Team B in fifth (6-6-10), Brunei Darussalam in sixth (3-2-8), Malaysia A in seventh (2-4-3), PH Team C eighth (1-3-4), and PH Team D in ninth (1-2-10).
PH Team A’s swimming team delivered the best performance, winning 19 golds, 16 silvers, and 18 bronzes. Quintuple gold medalists Paolo Miguel Labanon and Philip Adrian Sahagun led the charge, with Rissa Angelian Sahagun and Liaa Margarette Amoguis each earning four golds, one silver, and one bronze.
In athletics, Kate Duffy Gel McDowell added a gold medal in the women's 1,500m run, while her fellow University of Mindanao (UM) varsity teammate Lyka Catubig settled for the silver.
McDowell, in a Messenger interview with VoxPop Davao, expressed surprise at her victory. "First time po nako ni na BIMP po. Wala ko mag expect ma'am na madaug kay ang mga athlete from other countries kay kusgan sad, Ma'am. Ang ako lang gyud, Ma'am, nisalig ko sa akong kaugalingon ug sa Ginoo (This is my first time participating in BIMP. I didn’t expect to win, ma’am, because the athletes from other countries are also strong. What I focused on, Ma’am, was trusting in myself and in God)," said McDowell, a 19-year-old Criminology sophomore student.
McDowell also helped PH Team A claim gold in the women’s 4x400m relay alongside Mary Jane A. Pagayon, Milchay Moreno, and Crislyn Wenceslao, and earned a silver in the women’s 800m.
PH Team A’s athletics squad, coached by Emilio "Toto" Lacanaria and Mamerto Aventurado, also brought home golds from John Rods Bongcayat (youth boys’ 5,000m run), Kai Chi Tayog (men’s 1,500m run), Desiree Alaba (women’s long jump), Pagayon (women’s 800m), John Mark Sedoripa (men’s shot put), and Milchay Moreno (women’s 400m).
In karatedo, PH Team A earned a gold through Jamie Danielle Nirza (women’s individual kata) and two silvers from Arvin Jaydonn Santillana (men’s individual kata) and the women’s team kata (Nirza, Lee Ho Yesha, and Ai Rhina Kawano).
PH Team A also took home silver medals in the men’s and women’s sepak takraw regu events, while its esports team secured a bronze. MLSA