JUSTIN Kobe Macario became the first gold medalist of the Philippines in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.
Macario topped the poomsae male individual freestyle at the Fashion Island Shopping Mall in Bangkok.
The former University of Santo Tomas finally broke through in the biennial meet after winning silver in 2022 in Hanoi and bronze in 2023 in Cambodia, the two of which in team events.
Macario was with Juvenile Crisostomo, Jeordan Dominguez, Zyka Santiago, and Darius Venerable during the mixed team freestyle poomsae that won the bronze two years ago.
Macario, Crisostomo, Dominguez, Venerable, and Janna Oliva were the members of the 2021 team that bagged the silver in the same event.
Incidentally, Macario is coached by Dominguez and Rani Ann Ortega.
The 23-year-old Macario scored 8.200, winning the gold by 0.1 over Thailand bet Koedkaew Atchariya. Malaysia’s Ken Haw Chin took the bronze with a score of 7.740.
Coming into this SEA Games, Macario admitted being nervous at being lined-up in the individual event by the Philippine Taekwondo Association. Aside from the regional competition, Macario also copped medals in the worlds and Asian competition but in the team events.
“Nung unang inannounce ‘yung line-up, kinabahan ako kasi hindi ako sanay sa SEA Games kasi puro team ‘yung mga past SEA Games ko. Ginrab ko ‘yung na ‘to para maglaro at i-represent ‘yung country,” said Macario.
Macario said he is honored to be the first Filipino athlete to win a gold in this edition of the SEA Games.
“Nagulat ako na ako ‘yung unang naka-gold. Sobrang saya ko po. Isang karangalan na makakuha ng ginto for the country,” said Macario.
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