Alas Pilipinas’ Khy Progella and Sofiah Pagara completed a historic bronze medal run in the Asian Games 2026 women’s beach volleyball event.
A day after their semifinal heartbreak, Progella and Pagara eked out a come-from-behind 13-21, 23-21, 15-13 win over China’s Cao Shuting and Dong Jie to secure the podium finish on Thursday at Hekinan Ryokuchi Beach Court.
The young duo never wavered despite getting dominated in the opening set and the Chinese taking the match point, 20-19, in the second, digging deep to force a decider.
Tied at 10 in the third, Progella and Pagara pulled away, 14-12, before Dong’s overpass handed the Filipinos the bronze.
The University of Santo Tomas stars celebrated with Sisi Rondina, Bernadeth Pons and the rest of the Alas delegation after securing the Philippines’ best Asian Games beach volleyball finish since the sport was introduced at the 1994 Hiroshima Games.
Progella and Pagara had kissed their gold medal hopes goodbye after absorbing a heartbreaking 21-23, 18-21 loss to Thailand’s Taravadee Naraphonapat and Worapeerachayakorn Kongphopsarutawade on Thursday.
Progella and Pagara lost only one game during their run, winning five straight after a 3-0 pool campaign, then beating the quarterfinals and upsetting top seed Japan in the semifinals.