For Benildean athletes, the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games are more than a race to the podium—the games reflect years of discipline and sacrifice. From seasoned champions to rising athletes, their stories reveal what it truly means to represent both school and country on a regional stage.
As a biennial multi-sport event that brings together athletes from across Southeast Asia, it serves as one of the first major international stages for many Filipino athletes. In this setting, Benildean athletes represented the country in both individual and team sports under the national colors.
Agatha Wong–Wushu
Agatha Chrystenzen Wong, an ID118 alumna from the Consular and Diplomatic Affairs program, is one of the country’s most decorated athletes. At 27 years old, she showed dominance in Bangkok by winning her sixth gold medal in the women’s taijiquan-taijijian, finishing with a combined score of 19.556 in the event.
She started wushu at a young age and has since represented the Philippines in multiple regional and international competitions. She admitted in an interview with PhilStar that the competition was challenging, saying, “Every time I go to the SEA Games, I feel like I’m going to lose.” She also described this past year as her hardest one, having to balance her medical school exams and intense training, “I think 'yung demands of being an athlete and the demands of being a med student, sobrang patas niya. And I'm just one person."
Despite her fear, she explained that perseverance and dedication are important, “I really just tried to do my best because it’s not every day you get an opportunity to represent your country.”
Artegal Barrientos–Bowling
An ID123 student from the Business Administration Major in Business Management program, Artegal Navarro Barrientos is a prominent tenpin bowler known for his composure and consistency under pressure. In 2024, he ranked 12th among Asian Bowlers by the Asian Bowling Federation.
He is part of the gold-winning Philippine men’s bowling team that successfully defended its title at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand, defeating the host nation, 981-865. He delivered the highest score for the Filipinos with 257 points.
Coming from the World Championships, he had under a week to prepare for the SEA Games, focusing on therapy for his knee and conditioning to meet the demands of the competition.
In an exclusive interview with The Benildean, he shared that he approached the competition with the mindset of “enjoying the experience and competing without pressure, knowing I had nothing to lose.”
He shared that competing at this level, the most challenging aspect was overcoming the mental obstacles along with managing the expectations placed on them after several painful near-misses at the World Championships and converting those frustrations into focus.
For him, winning in the SEA Games was a dream come true. He shared it was one of his main goals for the year: to win in a major tournament.
And there was no better stage for him to achieve that than the SEA Games.
Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo–Weightlifting
The first-ever Filipino Olympic gold medalist, Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo, etched her name into Philippine sports history after winning gold in the women’s 55-kilogram weightlifting event at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. She did more than just lift a barbell, she lifted a nation with a 97-year Olympic gold drought.
Beyond the podium, Diaz is also a Benilde alumna, having earned a Business Management degree, as well as a Project Management Diploma from Benilde’s School of Professional and Continuing Education (SPaCE).
Her rise in the sport was not instant, beginning as a teenager marked by years of steady improvement despite the setbacks and limited resources. Her perseverance earned her a Silver in Olympic Games Rio 2016 and multiple successes in previous SEA Games.
In 2025, she returned to the SEA Games but finished just outside the podium at 4th place–her first SEA Games appearance without a medal.
In an interview with ABS-CBN, she revealed that she has been dealing with a persistent knee injury since the 2024 Paris Olympics, alongside mental struggles after two years away from the competition. The hiatus made her realize that she misses playing for the country.
Samantha Veguillas–Karate
Samantha Emmanuelle Veguillas, an ID122 student studying Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia Arts, is a distinguished Filipino karateka who specializes in kata and one of the country’s most promising young karatekas. Descending from a family of accomplished athletes, her father, uncle, and aunt are all SEA Games gold medalists–she carries this proud legacy on the tatami.
Veguillas had been preparing for the games long before the official training camp in Turkey in November 2025. She explained to The Benildean that her sport never really has an off-season, after one competition they move on to the next. She also said that after her first SEA Games appearance in 2023, the preparation for the 2025 Games began afterward.
Balancing school and sports was a major challenge for her. “[...] Sports are definitely full of high-pressure situations and not knowing how to handle that pressure can easily make someone crack.” She shared she’s very lucky to have a good support system, both in school and sports, and teammates who push each other to be better.
Despite not bringing home any medals, for her, representing the country is still a huge responsibility and blessing. “I’ve been given so many different opportunities to do that in my time in the team, but the SEA Games feels a little different since it’s like the whole country is watching.”
Matthew Romero–Waterpolo
Matthew Vincent Romero, an ID125 student from the Business Management program, is a Filipino water polo athlete. Romero is a former competitive swimmer and began playing water polo at the age of 14 during high school after being introduced to the sport by his coach.
Romero’s journey to the SEA Games involved months of continuous preparation, including a week-long team tryout that earned him a spot on the final roster. He shared with The Benildean that “It was a moment of pride and excitement. [...] I wasn’t just playing for myself anymore, I was playing for the country.”
He also said that the SEA Games were very challenging and intense, their opponents pushed him to his limits. Even though Romero failed to secure medals this time around, he opened up to The Benildean that representing the Philippines was a lifelong dream for him.
“[..] I’ve been dreaming about this moment ever since I was a kid when I started playing sports. [..] Hearing the national anthem and wearing the Philippine flag is something I will always be proud of.”
Jesseray Arciaga–Handball
ID121 Jesseray Giancarlo Arciaga hails from the Business Intelligence and Analytics program. He began as a basketball player before he was invited by his former strength and conditioning Coach Marv Dubouzet, to try out for the national team for indoor handball during its rebuilding phase. Though he encountered handball during grade school in China, he only began formally training for the sport in mid-2025, giving him only four months to prepare.
He described his experience as surreal, sharing with The Benildean that “representing the flag…felt as if every Benildean, every Filipino was there rallying for us.”
With no medals under his belt yet, adjusting to the pace and competing against teams with grassroots experience proved challenging, but he relied on a “next play, next game” mindset, emphasizing that dwelling on mistakes will affect performance in a fast-paced international competition.
Felipe Marasigan–Handball
An ID121 student taking up BSBA-BIA, Felipe Bayani Escudero Marasigan is also in the Philippine Handball team. Introduced to the team during its rebuilding phase, Marasigan had only three months to prepare for the competition while also balancing academic responsibilities, basketball training, and recovering from an injury.
He shared with The Benildean that his experience at the SEA Games was a memorable milestone, despite no placements, saying, “the feeling and rush that I got from playing for the Philippines will be something that I will never forget.”
Renee Cailtyn Benitez–Short Track Speed Skating
Renee Cailtyn Benitez, an ID123 Interior Design student, is making her mark in short track speed skating after helping the women's 3,000-meter relay to win bronze at the SEA Games.
She started at the age of two and later transitioned from ice hockey to speed skating. In an interview with the Malaya-Business Insight, she admitted that adjusting from one skating discipline to another was challenging but noted that “once I gained momentum, it became easier to adjust.”
The 33rd SEA Games marked her maiden stint in the biennial meet and admitted feeling a mix of nervousness and excitement.
“I’m very nervous for my first SEA Games because I know my competitors are very strong and have been in the sport longer than me. I’m also extremely excited and grateful to experience such a huge event and to grow in my sport at the same time,” she said.
Message for Benildeans
Veguillas encouraged fellow Benildean athletes to believe in their potential, “I think that if there’s something you want to do, the second you want it, it’ll become true. The only real limit to getting what you want is you.”
Arciaga highlighted the value of seizing opportunities immediately once they arise, urging fellow Benildeans to approach each chance when given the chance to represent the nation.
Marasigan added that taking risks can open doors to unexpected opportunities. “I never would have thought I would be given the opportunity to represent the country…I took a chance and just tried it.” He emphasized that stepping out of your comfort zone can lead to meaningful opportunities in representing the school and country.
The SEA Games are more than medals for Benildean athletes; they are tests of fortitude, dedication, and resilience. From seasoned veterans to debutants, each athlete reflects the commitment required to represent both school and country. Their stories inspire future Benildeans to embrace challenges, seize opportunities, and define success on their own terms.
