he result may not have ended with a gold medal, but it offered another encouraging sign that their partnership is heading in the right direction.
The Alas Pilipinas beach volleyball tandem continued its steady rise on the Asian circuit after securing a runner-up finish in the AVC Beach Tour Pingtung Open, marking the best AVC tournament result of their careers together.
Facing Australian Olympian Taliqua Clancy and partner Stefie Fejes in the championship match on Sunday in Chinese Taipei, Rondina and Pons showed flashes of the form that has made them one of Southeast Asia’s top beach volleyball pairs. However, the experience and firepower of the Australians eventually prevailed in a 21-19, 21-12 victory.
Despite the defeat, the silver medal represented a significant achievement for the Filipino duo, who have spent much of 2026 focusing on international competition in preparation for the Asian Games later this year.
The tournament showcased the growth of the pair beyond their dominance in the Southeast Asian region.
Before reaching the final, Rondina and Pons survived a pair of demanding knockout matches that highlighted both their resilience and chemistry.
They first outlasted Australians Jasmine Fleming and Elizabeth Achin in a marathon quarterfinal battle, escaping with a hard-earned 21-18, 33-31 victory. The win tested their composure and endurance, with the second set turning into one of the most fiercely contested stretches of their campaign.
The following day, the Filipinas renewed a familiar rivalry against Thailand’s Kongphopsarutawadee Worapeerachayakorn and Taravadee Naraphornrapat.
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The matchup carried memories of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games gold-medal match, where Rondina and Pons delivered a historic championship for the Philippines. Once again, the Thai pair struggled to solve the Filipinas, who completed a 21-17, 26-24 semifinal triumph to book a spot in the gold-medal showdown.
Although Clancy and Fejes ultimately denied them the title, Rondina and Pons left Chinese Taipei with valuable momentum.
Their silver-medal finish comes at a crucial stage of their preparation as the pair continues to prioritize international competition ahead of the Asian Games in Japan this September. The duo has temporarily stepped away from PVL action to focus entirely on beach volleyball, a commitment that has already begun producing encouraging results.
From their SEA Games breakthrough to their recent appearances on the Beach Pro Tour and now their strongest AVC finish to date, Rondina and Pons continue to build a resume that suggests they are capable of competing with some of Asia’s best.
The gold medal may have slipped away in Pingtung, but the bigger picture remains promising. For SiPons, the journey toward the Asian Games appears to be gaining momentum at exactly the right time.
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