John Cabang Tolentino Turns a Fourth-Place Finish Into a Historic Asian Games Medal

For John Cabang Tolentino, the bronze medal he won in Nagoya was about more than finishing third. It was the result of continuing to chase a goal after coming painfully close at the previous Asian Games.

The 25-year-old Filipino hurdler clocked 13.48 seconds in the men’s 110-metre hurdles final at the 2026 Asian Games on September 27, securing bronze behind China’s Chen Yuanjiang and Japan’s Rachid Muratake.

A Different Result From Hangzhou

Three years earlier, Cabang had finished fourth in the same event at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. The narrow miss stayed with him as he continued his career.

In Nagoya, he finally reached the podium with a season-best performance, improving on his previous 2026 best of 13.63 seconds.

After the race, Cabang said he had put considerable pressure on himself but was happy that he finally achieved what he had been working toward.

Growing Up in Spain

Cabang was born in Madrid in 2001 and moved to the Basque Country when he was three years old. He grew up in Irura, Gipuzkoa, where he developed as an athlete and later competed for Spanish club Real Sociedad.

Although he grew up in Spain, Cabang maintained his Filipino family roots and chose to represent the Philippines internationally.

His sporting career eventually took him to the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he represented the Philippines in the 110-metre hurdles.

A Medal After Years of Chasing It

Cabang’s bronze was also a significant moment for Philippine athletics. It was the country’s first Asian Games medal in the men’s hurdles since 1954.

The result followed another breakthrough in 2025, when Cabang won the Southeast Asian Games 110-metre hurdles title in Bangkok and set a new Games record of 13.66 seconds.

His progress has therefore come through several stages: developing as a young athlete in Spain, representing the Philippines at the Olympics, missing the Asian Games podium by one place, and finally returning to win a medal.

Looking Ahead

After receiving his bronze medal, Cabang dedicated the achievement to his coach, family, girlfriend and supporters.

He also made clear that he does not see the Asian Games medal as the end of his journey. His next major ambition is to compete at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

For Cabang, the medal in Nagoya represents what can happen when an athlete keeps pursuing the same goal after falling just short the first time.

Sources

• GMA News — “Asian Games: John Cabang Tolentino clinches bronze in men’s 110m hurdles” — September 27, 2026
• Radyo Pilipinas — “Hurdler John Cabang takes home historic Asian Games bronze” — September 28, 2026
• Basque Team / EiTB — “John Cabang, bronce en los 110 metros vallas de los Juegos Asiáticos” — September 28, 2026
• BusinessMirror — “Tolentino advances to hurdles final, breathes life into PHL bid in Bangkok” — July 13, 2023