HANOI. — Team Sibol delivered the Philippines’ first esports gold medal late Wednesday night, with more expected to come, in the 31st Southeast Asian Games at the Vietnam National Convention Center.
“Four to five, high chance natin for podium finish,” said overall esports head coach Ralph Andrei Llabres, whose prediction of a gold-medal finish in the Wild Rift event came true.
Charize “Yugen” Doble, 18 used the Corki hero twice to help lift Team Philippines-Sibol, represented by Grindsky Eris, to a historic 3-0 triumph over Singapore for the gold at the end of the three-round League of Legends: Wild Rift finals.
The team, also composed of Christine “Ray Ray” Natividad, Rose Ann “Hell Girl” Robles, Giana “Jeeya “ Llanes, April “Aeae” Sotto and Angel “Angelailaila” Lozada, became the first female medalists in SEA Games esports’ history.
Team Sibol, represented by Blacklist in the Games Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, has also reached the semifinals, awaiting its next opponent late Thursday, with the finals slated on Friday.
The Philippines, which won three golds, a silver and a bronze during esports’ debut in the SEA Games’ calendar in 2019, is taking part in nine of 11 events here, with its strongest teams entered in Wild Rift, Mobile Legends and Cross Fire.
Doble’s Corki character did a lot of damage at Team Sibol swept its clash with the Singaporeans with scores of 16-9, 17-8, 27-21. In Game 2, Corki delivered nine kills after respawning only once.
The SEA Games gold was one of the best achievements of Doble, who earlier led her team, Grand Sky Eris, to the Southeast Asian Esports Championship this year, while claiming Most Valuable Player honors along the way.
Philippine Olympic Committee President and Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino was on hand to award the gold medals to members of the Philippine Sibol team.
Date: May 20, 2022 | Newspaper: Malaya | Source: https://malaya.com.ph/news_sports/ph-sibol-wins-1st-esports-gold/
