ALEX EALA ENDS 26 YEAR GOLD DROUGHT FOR PHILIPPINES

Headlined by volleyball stars Pimpichaya Kokram, Thatdao Nuekjang and Hattaya Bamrungsuk, the Thailand Women's Volleyball team stormed to another SEA Games gold medal at Halong Bay in May, dispatching hosts Vietnam 25-20, 25-14, 25-14 at the Đại Yên Sports Arena.

It took over a decade of dedication and hard work for ASICS marathoner Tony Payne to be the runner he is today. At his first race as a child, he finished 150th out of 200 runners. But he never stopped working at his goals throughout the years and started showing promise in running in his mid-20s. From that point, he has been shaking up the Southeast Asian running scene.

Using the memory of that experience as fuel for extra motivation, and spurred on by a passionate Malaysian following sitting in the stands directly behind him, Ziyad clinched bronze in the men's shot put event, his second medal of the Southeast Asian Games, having taken silver in the Manila Games in 2019.

Thailand's sweet-faced 18 year-old rising tennis star Pimrada Jattavapornvanit is fast making a name for herself on the court with her left forehand smashes and deft touches in front of the net.