Baylon delivers Team PH’s second medal in World Games

Sports

CARLOS Baylon Jr. delivered another medal to what has been a so-so campaign by Team Philippines in the 2025 World Games in Chengdu, China.

Baylon pocketed a bronze medal by defeating Islam Karimov of Kazakhstan, 2-0, in the wushu men’s sanda on Tuesday, August 12, at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Centre Gymnasium.

With Baylon’s podium finish, Team Philippines now has a silver and a bronze in its meager medal haul with only five days left in the competition. Accounting for the country’s other medal is Kaila Napoles, who finished second in the women’s jiu-jitsu -52kg newasa.

Team Philippines was denied a third medal when Krizan Faith Collado bowed to Vietnam's Thi Phuong Nga Ngo in their own battle for third match.

Baylon, a gold medalist in the IWUF 10th Sanda World Cup in Jiangyin, China last April, thoroughly dominated Karimov, scoring several takedowns en route to icing the win as the country’s wushu team ended its campaign on a high note.

Team Philippines’ quest for a gold is still alive after Hergie Bacyadan put on a stellar performance in the women's kickboxing K1 70-kilogram quarterfinals

Transitioning to kickboxing after competing in boxing in the Paris Olympics, Bacyadan dominated Valentina Keri of Hungary, 3-0, also on Tuesday at the Sichuan Gymnasium.

Bacyadan will face Portugal’s Catarina Dias in the semifinal round at 8:15 p.m. on Wednesday (Philippine time), August 13.

Dias moved to the semis after beating Brazil's Carolina Sousa Santos, 3-0, in their own quarterfinal duel.(CCM)