Taekwondo gold medalist Jeus Yape named PH flag bearer for Asian Games closing

ASM, Philippine Canadian Inquirer
October 04, 2026

Photo courtesy: Go for Gold Philippines | Facebook

NAGOYA, Japan – Double medalist Jeus Gabriel Derick Yape will carry the Philippine flag at the closing ceremony of the 2026 Asian Games on Sunday, October 4, following a historic campaign for Philippine taekwondo.

The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) selected Yape after he captured gold in the mixed individual virtual taekwondo event and bronze in the men’s individual poomsae competition in Aichi-Nagoya. 

Yape secured the Philippines’ fourth gold medal of the Games after defeating Vietnam’s Chau Ngoc Tuyet Sang, 500-0, 620-0, in the virtual taekwondo final on October 2. He reached the championship round after victories over Kazakhstan’s Rita Bakisheva in the semifinals and Japan’s Hayate Suzuki in the quarterfinals.

Virtual taekwondo is an open-gender competition that combines martial arts with virtual reality and motion-tracking technology. Yape’s victory delivered the Philippines its first Asian Games taekwondo gold since the sport became a medal event in 1994, according to POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino. 

Tolentino said Yape’s selection as flag bearer recognizes both the athlete and the Philippine taekwondo team’s performance at the Games.

Philippine taekwondo finished its Aichi-Nagoya campaign with one gold, three silver medals and one bronze, its best medal haul in the sport at the Asian Games. Yape accounted for the gold and bronze, while Juliana Mykhail Candelaria, Tachiana Keizha Mangin and Kurt Barbosa won silver medals. 

Candelaria, Mangin and Barbosa are also expected to join Yape in the closing ceremony parade, along with boxing silver medalist Carlo Paalam.

The closing ceremony is scheduled for 5 PM Manila time on October 4 at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletics Stadium, the same venue where the Games officially opened on September 19.

Boxer Aira Villegas and weightlifter Albert Ian delos Santos carried the Philippine flag during the opening ceremony.