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John Ivan Cruz of the Philippines celebrates after winning gold in the vault in the men's artistic gymnastics competition of the 2025 Southeast Asian Games, December 12, 2025 in Thailand. POC Media
BANGKOK (UPDATED) -- Gymnast John Ivan Cruz landed gold in the men's vault finals of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games at Thammasat University Gym on Friday.
Cruz scored a total of 13.833 points to get the gold medal, along with Malaysia's Aimy Muhammad Sharul, who had an identical score.
Thailand’s Tikumporn Surintornta captured bronze with 13.717 points.
This marks the second gold medal of Cruz in the regional showcase since winning the floor exercise in Cambodia in 2023.
Though Cruz finished fifth in the qualifiers, he could not defend his floor exercise title because only one athlete per country qualified, with Ace De Leon representing the Philippines.
"Masaya po [ako] and nagpapasalamat kay God. No injuries po sa aming lahat na naglaro. Pinaka-target ko po sana yung ma-defend ko yung floor and ito yung binigay sa arin ni God," he told POC Media after the awarding.
"Hindi ko po sinayang, nag-focus po ako ng maayos. And then nagpahinga ako ng maayos para po ready," Cruz said.
The two-time SEA Games gold medalist was initially listed as the silver medalist.
But following a protest and recomputation of scores, Cruz was eventually named co-gold medalist in the vault event.
"Malalaman niyo po talaga dahil sa tinira niyo pong skills. Mas mataas sakin sa first vault, kaunti lang deduction, nagulat din ako. Sayang po eh so pina-inquire po at nabago naman po," he said.
The teammates of Cruz, Justin Ace De Leon and Miguel Besana competed in floor, the event where he won gold in 2023.
Besana also competed in the men's horizontal bar finals, missing out on a podium finish with 12.833 points.
Indonesia's Abiyurafi and Thailand's Chuiasom Weerapat topped the event with 13.400 points.
Besana ranked last in the parallel bar event with 11.133 points.
Meanwhile, Olympic gymnast Aleah Finnegan copped another medal in the women's balance beam finals.
READ: Aleah Finnegan rules vault, adds to PH's golden haul
She clinched bronze with a score of 12.467, behind gold medalist Yean Kang Xian of Malaysia with 13.233 and Singapore's Yap Amanda Ee Lin got silver with 12.733.
Elaiza Yulo placed last in the women's floor exercise final with 11.167.
The artistic gymnastics team delivered two golds, one silver and three bronzes in the regional showcase.
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