Kayla Sanchez to get P1.2M for 2025 SEA Games medal haul. Who are the others?

MANILA, Philippines – Swimmer Kayla Sanchez will pocket P1.2 million in incentives after a stellar showing in the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand where she earned the distinction of being the most bemedalled Filipino athlete.

Sanchez captured three golds and five silvers for a total of eight medals as she immediately made an impact in her first SEA Games stint, which came two years after she switched federations from Canada to the Philippines.

A two-time Olympian, Sanchez bagged her first gold as part of the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay team that included Heather White, Xiandi Chua, and Chloe Isleta, then won two individual golds in the women’s 100m freestyle and 100m backstroke. 

The 24-year-old got her silvers in women’s 50m freestyle, 200m freestyle, 50m backstroke, 4x200m freestyle relay, and 4x100m medley relay.

Under Republic Act No. 10699, individual gold winners in the SEA Games will receive P300,000, while silver and bronze medalists will get P150,000 and P60,000, respectively.

Meanwhile, medalists in team events with less than five members will equally divide the same cash incentives for individual winners. 

That means Sanchez will collect P600,000 for her two individuals golds, P75,000 for her team gold, P450,000 for her three individual silvers, and P75,000 for her two team silvers. 

Sanchez will be given additional cash incentives for breaking the SEA Games record in women’s 50m backstroke, with the amount to be determined by the Philippine Sports Commission. 

A SEA Games first-timer like Sanchez, White also enjoyed an impressive debut that saw her win five medals: one gold (women’s 4x100m freestyle relay), three silvers (women’s 100m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle relay, 4x100m medley relay), and one bronze (women’s 50m freestyle).

That five-medal haul will net the 18-year-old White a reward of P360,000. 

Rising triathlon star Kira Ellis clinched five medals as well and will receive P412,500. 

Ellis, 19, won two golds (all women relay, mixed team relay) and one silver (women’s individual) in triathlon and two silvers (all women relay, mixed team relay) in aquathlon. 

Other members of the national triathlon team were also among the most bemedalled Filipino athletes, including Kim Remolino with four (one gold, two silvers, one bronze), Raven Alcoseba with three (two golds, one silver), and Fernando Casares with three (two golds, one bronze).

Chua tied Remolino with four medals as she copped one gold (women’s 4x100m freestyle relay) and three silvers (women’s 200m backstroke, 4x200m freestyle relay, 4x100m medlay relay).

After Sanchez, short track speed skater Peter Groseclose emerged as the second-highest earner with P465,000 after bagging three medals.

Groseclose won gold in men’s 1,500m, silver in men’s 500m, and bronze as part of the four-man men’s 5,000m relay team. 

Tennis ace Alex Eala also claimed three medals highlighted by her breakthrough women’s singles gold that made her the first Filipina to win the event in the SEA Games in 26 years.

Eala nailed a pair of bronzes in the mixed doubles with Francis Casey Alcantara and the women’s team, although she did not play. 

Other gold winners who won multiple medals were judo’s Chino Sy (2 golds); swimming’s Chloe Isleta (1 gold, 1 silver); rowing’s Joanie Delgaco (1 gold, 1 silver) and Kristine Paraon (1 gold, 1 bronze); triathlon’s Kim Mangrobang (1 gold, 1 silver), Matthew Justine Hermosa (1 gold, 1 silver), and Iñaki Lorbes (1 gold, 1 bronze); bowling’s MJ San Jose (1 gold, 1 silver); gymnastics’ Aleah Finnegan (1 gold, 1 silver) and Jasmine Althea Ramilo (1 gold, 1 bronze); modern pentathlon’s Melvin Sacay (1 gold, 1 silver); and muay’s Islay Bomogao (1 gold, 1 bronze).

While a gold medal remained elusive for athletics standout Bernalyn Bejoy, she was still among the most bemedalled Filipinos with three bronzes.

The Philippines captured a total of 50 golds, 73 silvers, and 154 bronzes to finish sixth overall. – Rappler.com