Leonard Grospe captured the Philippines' second gold medal in the 6th Asian Beach Games after ruling the men's high jump competition on a cold and rainy Friday morning at Phoenix Island in Sanya, China.
The 24-year-old standout cleared 2.05 meters on his first attempt, a decisive jump that secured him the top podium finish in a tightly contested field. Grospe beat Chinese Taipei's Po-Ting Yeh and Hao Zhang of China, who settled for the silver and bronze, respectively, after falling short of matching the winning mark.
Grospe added another golden highlight to Team Philippines' campaign, reinforcing the country's strong showing in the continental showpiece, which made its comeback after a decade. The victory was especially challenging due to the slippery sand conditions, as the high jump event was staged on a beach for the first time.
"Sobrang happy. Unexpected din po kasi sobrang dulas po talaga (I'm very happy. It was unexpected because it was really slippery)," said Grospe, describing the situation on the sands. "It's my first time. First time din ang event na high jump sa beach. So, nag-a-adjust pa tayo for that kasi masyadong madulas (It's my first time. It's also the first time the high jump event is being held on the beach. We're still adjusting because it's too slippery)," he added.
During the awarding ceremony, Grospe was joined by Philippine Sports Commission chairman Pato Gregorio and Chef de Mission Don Caringal, as officials presented a mascot token at the beachside venue. The win marks a proud moment for the Filipino athlete, who celebrated with the national flag after overcoming the challenging conditions.
