Kayla Sanchez, Xiandi Chua, Chloe Isleta and Heather White celebrate after winning the women's 4x100m freestyle relay in the 2025 Southeast Asian Games, December 10, 2025 at the SAT Swimming Pool in Bangkok, Thailand. POC Media
BANGKOK – Olympian Kayla Sanchez propelled the Philippines to its second gold medal at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games on Wednesday.
Sanchez, Xiandi Chua, Chloe Isleta and Heather White topped the 4x100m relay freestyle at the SAT Swimming Pool.
They brought home the country's first-ever gold in the event clocking in at 3:44.26.
Singapore copped silver with 3:46:53, while Vietnam got bronze with a time of 3:47:47.
Sanchez, who closed out the relay for the team, is glad to open her SEA Games campaign with the team relay event.
"It's very special for me and my teammates. My whole family is here. I'm very excited to make the country proud," she told POC Media.
"My first race was a relay so it wasn't just me it was a team. They made me less nervous. It was much more fun as a first race to be with a team. I'm still learning. I gave my teammates to teach me and keep me grounded," Sanchez added.
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Isleta and White were glad with the outcome following their team effort in the water.
"I'm very happy. I feel like we all worked together as a team. We fought to the finish and we're very happy with the results," Isleta shared.
"I think we all went in knowing we kind of had a chance to win especially since being in lane 4. And I think we just carried through that confidence and played like we had nothing to lose," White said.
Chua believes winning gold on the first day is a good sign for the coming events.
"I think it was such a good start, the start of day one. It sets the momentum especially Gian also won with a silver. I think getting a goal today gets everyone excited and pumped up for the next few weeks," Chua said.
Gian Santos bags the silver medal in the men's 200m individual medley in the 2025 Southeast Asian Games, December 10, 2025 at the SAT Swimming Pool in Bangkok, Thailand. POC Media
Earlier, Gian Santos bagged silver in the men's 200m individual medley event with a time of 2:03:88, behind Vietnam's Hung Nguyen Tran who clocked in 2:02:11.
"It definitely means a lot to me. This being my first SEA Games and also first event of SEA Games my first medal, I'm very grateful. I put a lot of hard work into this... I'm glad my hard work has paid off," he shared.
After winning silver, Santos is aiming to win another medal while promising to do his best and letting his performance determine the result.
Swimming events will continue on Thursday at the same venue.