Sibol Wild Rift is on the rise.
The 32nd SEA Games is currently ongoing but not for Wild Rift, which saw the likes of the Philippines national team take out rivals Vietnam in the grand finals. The Sibol Wild Rift team had been on the rise during the tournament, first securing a clean 3-0 victory against Singapore before a hard-fought 3-1 series win against Vietnam in the upper bracket final.
For a team that finished dead last at the 31st SEA Games, the Sibol Wild Rift have grown leaps and bounds this year by dominating the competition. Last year's edition saw the Oasis Gaming outfit finish in last place during the group stages but this time, the Sibol Wild Rift squad decided to pick up Nigma Galaxy instead.
We sat down with the gold medalists for the 32nd SEA Games Wild Rift category to get their thoughts on the grand finals and everything else in between.
Gosugamers: Hi guys! Congratulations on winning the gold medal for League of Legends: Wild Rift for the Philippines! How are you feeling?
Dr4w: We feel really good, really great.
DemonKite: We're very happy and proud,
Gosugamers: What were your preparations like for SEA Games this year?
Gerald "Tgee" Gianna Gelacio (Asst. Coach): We prepared a lot versus the other teams, especially Vietnam because they're our rivals so we prepared a lot of strategies against them.
Gosugamers: How were you feeling during the whole tournament?
Aaron: We were just enjoying every moment of it. Even though we lost two games but we were still confident that we can win and bounce back.
Gosugamers: How does it feel to be the first team to secure a gold medal for your country?
CHAMMYY: We're feeling great that we represent our country. We got medals for the first time and I think we're really proud to represent our country.
Gosugamers: Out of all the grand final matches, which was the most exciting?
Justine Ritchie “Juschie” Tan: I think, for me, it was game four because that's the time we won the and got the medal.
Gosugamers: In last year's SEA Games, the Philippines couldn't make it past the group stage and this year, you've gone on to win it. What's different about the team this year?
Van Matthew "Vansu" I. Alphonso (Head Coach): Basically everything is different. When DemonKite attended SEA Games last year, he was with a different team. So right now, he upgraded everything around him, even the coaching staff is new, that was the kind of upgrade we had.
Gosugamers: This question is for DemonKite. How would you compare your performances from last year to now?
DemonKite: I think there was a big gap. Last year, we had no wins against other countries but today, we won a lot so I think there's a big gap.
Gosugamers: Did you think you could win the whole thing after beating Vietnam in the winner bracket finals?
DemonKite: Yes of course! We were very confident because we won against Vietnam, who was one of the strongest in the tournament. They've been our rivals since last year and they were also the defending champions.
Gosugamers: How did it feel defeating last year's champions twice?
Van Matthew "Vansu" I. Alphonso (Head Coach): Well of course we're extremely happy but at the same time, it's kind of like we already expected the outcome. We feel like we're really confident versus Vietnam but at the same time we still acknowledge that they're really good.
Gosugamers: What were the reactions of your friends and family when they found out you won? Were they watching?
Justine Ritchie “Juschie” Tan: There was an event back in Manila and we saw the video that when we won the gold medal, they were celebrating, shouting and screaming. Their energy was full of support.
DemonKite; We saw their reactions because they have a watch party in the Philippines.
Gosugamers: What do you guys have to say to the Filipino fans who watched you guys win the gold?
Justine Ritchie “Juschie” Tan: Thank you guys for supporting us for this tournament and we hope that you will continue to support us in our upcoming tournaments!
