EJ Obiena, this Asian Games gold medal was more than another victory

𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗜𝗟𝗔 𝗜𝗦 𝗚𝗘𝗧𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗘 𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗡𝗜𝗦!  

Manila is set to host two WTA tournaments in 2027, giving Filipino fans even more chances to watch elite women’s tennis on home soil.

The WTA has approved Manila’s hosting application for a WTA 125, targeted for January and scheduled around the second week of the Australian Open.

Then comes the bigger stage.

Manila is also slated to host a WTA 250 in late October or early November 2027, according to Philippine Tennis Association (PHILTA) secretary general John Rey Tiangco.

The double-header builds on the momentum of the successful WTA 125 Philippine Women’s Open staged in Manila earlier this year, further putting Philippine tennis on the international calendar.

PHILTA  has also invited international players to include Manila in their 2027 schedules, adding more star power to what could be a landmark year for local tennis.

And with Alex Eala continuing to make her mark on the global circuit, the prospect of seeing top-level WTA action — and potentially more international stars — on Philippine courts makes 2027 one to watch.

TWO TOURNAMENTS. TWO WTA LEVELS. ONE TENNIS-HUNGRY NATION.

MANILA IS READY TO SERVE.

50 STATES. ONE FLAME. ONE OLYMPIC DREAM 

Atlanta will make history as the first U.S. stop for the Olympic flame after it arrives from Greece, officially kicking off a torch relay unlike any the country has seen before. 🇬🇷➡️🇺🇸

And here's what makes it massive: the Olympic flame is set to travel through all 50 states.

From America's biggest cities to its smallest communities, the torch will bring the Olympic spirit directly to the people—turning the countdown to Los Angeles into a celebration far beyond the host city.

This isn't just about carrying a flame.

It's about carrying a symbol of sport, dreams, perseverance and unity across an entire nation.  

Atlanta gets the first chapter.

Los Angeles gets the grand finale.

But all 50 states get to be part of the story.

LA 2028 IS COMING—AND AMERICA IS GETTING READY TO CARRY THE FLAME.  

“𝗧𝗢 𝗕𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗘𝗦𝗧, 𝗚𝗘𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗘𝗦𝗧.” 

For Philippine archery, that decision came when Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Patrick “Pato” Gregorio backed the hiring of two South Korean coaches with Olympic pedigree—Ryu Su Jeng and Hong Sung Chil.

The gamble paid off.

Less than 10 months after arriving in Manila, the Korean mentors helped reshape the national team’s training approach, with an emphasis on high-volume preparation, biomechanics, equipment tuning and pressure situations.

Then came Amaya Paz-Cojuangco.

At the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, the veteran archer broke through a 12-year Philippine archery medal drought—and came agonizingly close to gold.

Cojuangco dominated Iran’s Bita Asheghzadeh Oskouei, 146-135, in the quarterfinals before producing a stunning 142-141 victory over South Korea’s Park Jungyoon in the semifinals.

Suddenly, the Philippines had its first-ever Asian Games archery finalist.

In the gold-medal match, Cojuangco fought Indonesia’s Nurisa Dian Ashrifah arrow for arrow. The Indonesian eventually prevailed, 139-137, but the silver was already historic.

It surpassed Paul Marton Dela Cruz’s bronze in 2014 as the Philippines’ best-ever Asian Games finish in archery.

And behind the breakthrough was a philosophy Gregorio reportedly stood by: “If we want to be the best, get the best.”

When questions arose about the cost of bringing in elite foreign coaches, Gregorio recalled being told, “Chairman, how can we afford?”

His response: “That’s my problem. We will get corporate sponsors to share.”

That is the kind of gamble that changes a program.

No, the Philippines did not leave Japan with archery gold.

But it left with something potentially bigger: proof that investing in world-class knowledge can change what Filipino athletes believe is possible.

After 12 years without an Asian Games archery medal, Amaya Cojuangco has now put the Philippines back on the continental podium.

SILVER MEDAL. HISTORIC BREAKTHROUGH. AND PERHAPS THE START OF SOMETHING MUCH BIGGER.

𝗡𝗢 𝗚𝗢𝗟𝗗, 𝗕𝗨𝗧 𝗔 𝗛𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗜𝗖 𝗦𝗜𝗟𝗩𝗘𝗥!  

The veteran archer delivered a landmark performance at the 20th Asian Games in Japan, capturing the Philippines’ first-ever silver medal in archery after a thrilling gold-medal match at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Multipurpose Square.

More importantly, Cojuangco became the first Filipino archer to reach an Asian Games gold-medal match—a feat that had eluded the country for decades.

She went toe-to-toe with Indonesia’s Nurisa Dian Ashrifah, splitting the first four ends before the Indonesian archer edged the deciding fifth end, 29-27, to win by just 139-137.

That two-point margin says everything about how close this battle was.

Cojuangco’s road to the final was just as impressive. She dominated Iran’s Bita Asheghzadeh Oskouei, 146-135, firing three perfect 30-point ends, before surviving South Korea’s Park Jungyoon, 142-141, in a nail-biting semifinal.

A silver medal? Absolutely.

But this feels bigger than silver.

Cojuangco has now pushed the ceiling of Philippine archery higher than ever before, surpassing the bronze won by Paul Marton Dela Cruz in 2014 as the country’s best-ever Asian Games finish in the sport.

THE PHILIPPINES HAS ARRIVED IN ASIAN GAMES ARCHERY.  

And Amaya Cojuangco just made sure history will remember it.

In the volatile world of professional basketball where coaching carousels turn overnight, the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters just sent a seismic shockwave of stability across the PBA landscape.The mastermind isn't going anywhere. Rain or Shine management has officially signed firebrand head coach Yeng Guiao to a monumental contract extension that will keep him at the helm of the franchise until 2030.

In a massive display of corporate faith, the new deal—which adds an extra two years to his horizon—was signed despite Guiao still having two years left on his current five-year pact.The statement from team co-owners Raymund Yu and Terry Que is loud, clear, and absolute: 

Trust the process. 

Trust the coach. Trust the culture.The Culture Is the CatalystWhen Coach Yeng returned to the Elasto Painters baseline in 2022 after a six-year stint with NLEX, he inherited a franchise searching for its lost identity. What followed wasn't a quick-fix patch, but a complete structural overhaul.Since his return, Rain or Shine has transformed from a lottery-bound, rebuilding squad into a legitimate, feared title contender. Under his watchful eye, the Elasto Painters have stormed their way into the semifinals in five of the last six conferences.That kind of consistent deep playoff execution isn't a fluke. 

That is the byproduct of an unyielding system.Instead of chasing high-priced superstars, Guiao went to work in the laboratory, developing a lethal, high-octane young core led by Adrian Nocum, Jhonard Clarito, Andrei Caracut, and Santi Santillan. By locking Guiao down until 2030, management is guaranteeing that this young core will reach its absolute prime under the exact architect who drafted them.From Stability to SilverwareThe timing of the announcement provides a massive psychological boost right before the season-ending Governors’ Cup resumes this October. 

Rain or Shine currently sits comfortably at the top tier of Group B with a strong 4-2 win-loss slate.To make things even scarier for the rest of the league, the Elasto Painters recently paraded powerhouse veteran Stanley Pringle and speedy sophomore sensation Felix Lemetti in a competitive tune-up game against the Korean Basketball League's (KBL) LG Sakers.Guiao already steered the franchise to its only two PBA championships during his first legendary stint from 2011 to 2016, including their last taste of glory in the 2016 Commissioner’s Cup.

The question was never whether Rain or Shine believed in Yeng Guiao's blueprint. The front office just gave the entire basketball community a definitive, long-term answer.Now, with his future cemented and the pieces firmly on the board, the clock begins to tick: Can the Elasto Painters translate ultimate organizational stability into championship silverware?