"I did my best" - Team Philippines' Justin Hernandez accepts tough Physical: Asia exit after loss to South Korea

Team Philippines’ Justin Hernandez reflected on their elimination from Physical: Asia after falling to South Korea in Episode 7 of the Netflix competition series.

Following the tense match that sealed the Philippines’ exit midway through the show’s third quest, Hernandez said,

“I actually don’t have any regrets because I know that I did my best."

Despite his efforts in the decisive sack throw, the Filipino CrossFitter was unable to complete his final toss in time, leading to Team South Korea advancing while Team Philippines became the third country eliminated.

Justin Hernandez reflects on Team Philippines’ elimination after a close battle with South Korea on Physical: Asia

South Korea edges out the Philippines in sack throw elimination

The elimination round saw Team Philippines face South Korea and Australia in the sack throw challenge.

Representing the Philippines, Justin Hernandez stepped in following the earlier departure of team captain Manny Pacquiao on Episode 5. He went up against South Korea’s Amotti and Australia’s Eddie Williams.

As the rounds progressed, the sack’s weight increased while the allotted time to throw it decreased. Eddie Williams maintained control throughout, while Amotti and Hernandez struggled with the heavier load.

The match came down to the two Asian teams when Hernandez attempted to push the contest further by making one final successful throw.

South Korea’s Amotti managed to send the sack over at the last second, which put Hernandez under pressure to respond. However, after more than 120 laps, his final toss fell short.

With that, Team South Korea secured second place in Group A, breaking the tie with the Philippines and eliminating the Filipino team from the competition.

His successful attempt allowed South Korea to continue in the contest while marking the end of the road for the Philippines in the group round.

Hernandez and Team Philippines accept their elimination

Following the result, Team Philippines members immediately gathered to console Hernandez, who represented the team in the elimination match. Teammates Mark Striegl and captain Justin Coveney were among the first to meet him as he returned.

In his post-elimination remarks, Hernandez expressed mixed emotions about the outcome.

“But what I couldn’t handle, and what was really hard for me to handle, was letting down my team,” he said.

Coveney, reflecting on Hernandez’s performance, shared his appreciation for the athlete’s effort. He said Justin really showed how much of a "beast" he actually is, epitomizing the Filipino fighting spirit.

"I have a great sense of respect and pride, not only for Justin, but for all the athletes of Team Philippines,” Coveney said in the episode.

The Philippines joins other teams eliminated in Quest 3

Before facing South Korea, Team Philippines had survived an earlier elimination by defeating Thailand in the Death Match.

However, their next challenge proved decisive as they were unable to surpass South Korea’s total in the sack throw, officially ending their run in Quest 3.

Episode 8 later featured Group B’s elimination round, where Team Turkey was eliminated after finishing last in their group standings.

They joined Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines among the teams that had already exited the series.

Before departing, Team Philippines broke their torso molds, symbolizing the end of their competition journey. Coveney addressed the team, stating,

“I hope that I and we made the country proud with all our efforts. We gave it everything we had and we were determined to show Filipino fighting spirit.”

As Physical: Asia continued, the remaining teams, South Korea, Mongolia, Australia, and Japan, advanced to the next phase, while Team Philippines and Turkey concluded their campaign in the middle stages of the series.

Stay tuned for more updates.