PUTTING the world on notice, Filipina Muay Thai phenom Islay Bomogao is ready to take on the bigger challenge of next year after her historic gold medal run in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.
Bomogao capped her astounding 2025 campaign with a gold medal finish in the women’s Muay Thai event in this year’s edition of the biennial meet.
The national team standout dominated the women’s 45kg weight class, imposing her skill set during the whole tournament. In the finals, though, she won a tight one against the home bet Arissara Noon-Eiad, in a close 29-28 score, to successfully bring home the gold to the Philippines. Islay relied on her slick striking and combination punches in the last minute of the gold medal match to emerge victorious against the Thai.
This is Bomogao’s second SEA Games gold, having won in the form event in 2022, reaffirming her status as one of the region’s elite combat sports athletes.
This win meant a lot more for Bomogao as she won in her natural event, the full combat Muay Thai, as her first gold in Vietnam, came in artistic Muay Thai.
“This time, I was given the chance to fight in combat Muay Thai. That’s my bread and butter,” Islay said.
It is a breakout year to remember for Islay as she not just thrived but also swept the competition at the ONE Championship cage.
“This year means the world to me. I’ve been busy as a professional, but it’s nice to go back to my roots in amateur Muay Thai and end it with a win in the SEA Games,” she added
Before her stint in the SEA Games, Bomogao punched a second-round knockout victory against Ploychompoo Phabai in November that kept her perfect record in the ONE Championship.
The 25-year-old athlete currently holds an undefeated record in ONE, specifically within the ONE Friday Fights series. She was able to seize three wins this calendar year, improving her record to 4 wins and 0 losses.
With this, Bomogao cemented her status as one of the country’s rising stars in the world of combat sports, and now, she sets her sights on a bigger campaign next year, looking ahead to higher international goals in 2026.
Bomogao is set to return to full training early next year as part of the Philippine Sports Commission program, with her primary goal being the next year’s Asian Indoor Martial Arts tournament, set to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
“My biggest goal for 2026 is the Asian Indoor Martial Arts Games,” Bomogao said. “Winning gold there would be another nice way of ending the year.”
Building on her momentum, Islay will ride on her recent professional wins, aiming for more glory in both the national and international Muay Thai scene.