02 Oct 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗩𝗜𝗥𝗧𝗨𝗔𝗟 𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗔: 𝗝𝗘𝗨𝗦 𝗬𝗔𝗣𝗘 𝗠𝗔𝗞𝗘𝗦 𝗔𝗦𝗜𝗔𝗡 𝗚𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗦 𝗛𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬
Jeus Gabriel Derick Yape arrived at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games with years of experience on the international poomsae stage. He leaves with two medals—and a place in Asian Games history.
In 2024, Yape helped the Philippines win bronze in the freestyle team event at the World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships in Hong Kong. A year later, he added another international podium finish, winning bronze with the Philippines in the mixed team freestyle event at the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand.
Then, in Aichi-Nagoya, he added another medal to the collection.
Competing in the men’s individual poomsae event, Yape delivered a score of 9.0900 to secure bronze for the Philippines. It was another continental podium finish for an athlete who had built his reputation through precision, balance, control, and expression.
But there was still another challenge waiting.
The following day, Yape stepped away from the traditional mat and into a completely new arena.
At the Toyohashi Gymnasium, he became the inaugural champion of mixed individual Virtual Taekwondo at the Asian Games, defeating Vietnam’s Chau Ngoc Tuyet Sang 2-0 in the gold-medal match.
He dominated both rounds, winning 500-0 and 620-0.
Virtual Taekwondo is making its Asian Games medal-sport debut at Aichi-Nagoya, using VR headsets and motion-tracking sensors to translate athletes’ movements into a non-contact virtual fight.
And in the first edition to award an Asian Games medal, a Filipino became its first champion.
Yape’s path to that historic gold took him past Saudi Arabia’s Dunya Bushuaib Saber, Japan’s Hayate Suzuki, and Kazakhstan’s Rita Bakisheva before he faced Vietnam in the final.
Two days. Two disciplines. Two medals. Bronze in poomsae. Gold in Virtual Taekwondo.
For the Philippines, Yape delivered the country’s fourth gold medal of Aichi-Nagoya 2026. For himself, he leaves these Games with a bronze, a gold, and a distinction that can never be repeated: the first Asian Games champion in Virtual Taekwondo.
His story at Aichi-Nagoya was never simply about competing in two events.
It was about showing that an athlete can carry the same discipline into two completely different arenas—and find a way to stand on the podium in both.
From the precision of poomsae to the speed of virtual combat, Jeus Yape has left his mark on a new chapter of Asian Games history.
A proud moment for the Philippine Taekwondo community. And the name is Jeus Gabriel Yape.