On verge of quitting, Hokett delos Santos powers through for SEA Games decathlon gold

CHONBURI, Thailand – Taking into account all of the things that happened to Hokett delos Santos in the lead-up to the 2025 Southeast Asian Games, winning the men’s decathlon crown had felt like a long shot.

Delos Santos lost precious preparation time due to a string of injuries that kept him out of the track for a couple of months, and had thought of simply giving up.

But the UAAP athletics MVP powered through, completing a come-from-behind victory in the two-day event to capture the Philippines’ 11th gold medal in this SEA Games at the Supachalasai National Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday, December 12.

“I was only able to train one week before the SEA Games, so I was thinking at the time that I wanted to quit,” said Delos Santos. “It was hard knowing that you’re capable and all those things happened.”

The pride of Ilagan, Isabela said he was restricted to weight training two months before the SEA Games due to adductor problems.

Although the UST standout was able to compete in the UAAP in November and dominate as he claimed the MVP award following gold medals in men’s pole vault and 110m hurdles, he got hurt again as his nagging groin issues returned. 

Those injury mishaps, though, did not prevent Delos Santos from delivering as he lived up to his decathlon potential following his switch from pole vault under the tutelage of coach Emerson Obiena, the father of Filipino world-ranked pole vaulter EJ Obiena. 

Pole vault is just one of the 10 events in decathlon, which includes the 100m, long jump, shot put, high jump, 110m hurdles, discus throw, javelin throw, and 1,500m. 

“I know what I’m capable of because we go hard in training. I told coach that once I feel fine, I’ll fight for it,” said Delos Santos. 

“Mind over matter.”

Delos Santos totaled 6,917 points for first place as he denied the three-peat bid of Thailand’s Suttisak Singkhon, who settled for silver with 6,649 points.

Running third after the first day behind compatriot Janry Ubas and Singkhon, Delos Santos slowly worked his way to the top, finally taking the lead after the javelin throw, the penultimate event.

Delos Santos, who led by just 35 points over Singkhon at that point, then topped the 1,500m race to become the first Filipino to clinch the men’s decathlon gold in the SEA Games since Aries Toledo won on home soil in 2019.

Ubas, the 2023 SEA games silver medalist, missed out on giving the Philippines a 1-3 finish after finishing fourth with 6,573 points behind Indonesia’s Idan Fauzan Richsan (6,582). – Rappler.com