Asian Games 2023: joy and pride as Philippines ends 61-year basketball gold medal drought
- Many in basketball-crazy nation of 110 million people were glued to TV and mobile phone screens for tense win over Jordan
- ‘It means a lot coming from the heartache of the World Cup. This win is different. We have proven we can do it,’ one fan says
Filipinos roared in joy and relief as their men’s basketball team ended decades of heartbreak in winning their first Asian Games gold medal in 61 years.
Many in the basketball-crazy nation of 110 million people were glued to television and mobile phone screens as the “Gilas”, Tagalog for panache, eked out a 70-60 victory over Jordan in the final in Hangzhou, China.
At a watch party at a university hostel in northern Manila, the crowd erupted as the last Jordanian rally flamed out.
“I’m very happy. Proud, proud, proud Pinoy [Filipino],” sound engineer and basketball enthusiast Martin Andrew Guevara, 45, said.
He and others said the victory made up for the disappointment of the FIBA World Cup co-hosted by the Philippines last month.
The Philippine team, ranked 40th in the world at the time, lost all three of their matches in the group phase and finished in 24th place in the 32-team tournament.
