MANILA, Philippines — The young pair of Khy Progella and Sofiah Pagara gifted the Philippines its first-ever Asian Games medal in beach volleyball.
Progella and Pagara copped a historic bronze medal in the 2026 Asian Games beach volleyball event after outlasting China’s duo of Shuting Cao and Jie Dong, 21-13, 21-23, 15-13, on Friday at the Hekinan Ryokuchi Beach Court in Aichi, Japan.
This is the first time the Philippines has earned a podium finish in beach volleyball since the sport was introduced in the Asian Games in 1998.
Progella, 20, and Pagara, 21, are both beach volleyball standouts of the University of Santo Tomas.
The young guns made sure to earn a medal finish after the exit of Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons on Wednesday, when the two Alas veterans fell to Thailand’s Worapeerachayakorn Kongphopsarutawadee and Taravadee Naraphornrapat, 17-21, 21-12, 13-15, in the quarterfinals.
