Sibol’s Asian Games campaign has ended in stunning fashion

𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗟𝗢𝗦𝗦. 𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗘 𝗙𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧. 

Alas Pilipinas’ Khy Progella and Sofiah Pagara suffered their first loss of the tournament Thursday, falling to Thailand’s Worapeerachayakorn Kongphopsarutawadee and Taravadee Naraphornrapat, 21-23, 18-21, in the women’s beach volleyball semifinals of the 20th Asian Games.

The Filipinas came within striking distance in both sets but could not find the finishing touch against the Thai pair, who advanced to the gold-medal match.

For Progella and Pagara, the defeat was especially painful.

They entered the semifinal unbeaten and had already survived a tough quarterfinal battle against Japan to book their place in the final four.

They also carried unfinished business after Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons were beaten by the same Thai tandem just a day earlier.

But Thailand once again had the final say.

Still, there is no time to dwell on what slipped away.

A medal is still within reach.

Progella and Pagara will battle China’s Cao Shuting and Dong Jie on Friday with a bronze medal on the line.

The road to gold may have ended.

The road to the podium hasn’t.

One more match. One more chance to finish this Asian Games campaign with a medal around their necks.

𝗔𝗟𝗔𝗦, 𝗚𝗜𝗥𝗟𝗦. 𝗙𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗕𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗭𝗘.  

𝗙𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗚𝗢𝗟𝗗𝗦. 𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗗𝗔𝗬𝗦. 𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗣𝗨𝗦𝗛. 

With only three days remaining in the 2026 Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya, the country remains short of its eight-gold target.

The road has not been perfect. Some medal hopes have fallen short, opportunities have slipped away, and the shocking quarterfinal exit of Sibol Mobile Legends: Bang Bang against Indonesia left another painful “what if” hanging over Team Philippines.

But with the finish line approaching, Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino is choosing to look forward.

“Napipitasan tayo, pero may umaangat. May awa ang Diyos.”

And there is still plenty to fight for.

At the center of the final push is Alex Eala, already assured of at least a bronze medal but chasing something much bigger — an Asian Games gold that would make her the first Filipino tennis player to reach the top of the podium since the legendary Johnny Jose in 1962.

Then there is Carlo Paalam.

The Tokyo Olympic silver medalist is the Philippines’ lone boxer still standing and is set for a gold-medal showdown with Japan’s Rui Yamaguchi in the men’s 55kg division. Despite the bruises accumulated along the way, Paalam remains determined to give everything in what he calls a “mother of all battles.”

For Philippine boxing, the stakes are even bigger: a victory would finally end a 16-year wait for an Asian Games gold medal in the sport.

The country’s jiu-jitsu hopes are equally formidable.

Annie Ramirez, the defending champion and two-time world champion, is chasing another Asian Games crown, while Kimberly Custodio, a four-time world champion whose latest title came just last August, is also in the hunt.

And the list does not stop there.

Chino Sy carries the country’s hopes in judo, while taekwondo veterans Tachiana Mangin and Kurt Barbosa begin their campaigns with gold on their minds.

There have been disappointments.

There have been medals that slipped away.

But the Asian Games are not decided by what has already happened.

They are decided by what comes next.

Three days remain.

Five golds remain on the target.

And for Team Philippines, the final push begins now.

NO LOOKING BACK. NO COUNTING OUT. JUST ONE MORE FIGHT AFTER ANOTHER. 🇵🇭🔥

𝗕𝗟𝗨 𝗚𝗜𝗥𝗟𝗦 𝗥𝗢𝗔𝗥!  

The Philippine Blu Girls continued their impressive turnaround in the 2026 Asian Games women’s softball tournament, shutting out Singapore, 10-0, in just four innings Wednesday at Anjo Softball Ground.

The victory kept the Philippines firmly in fourth place and improved the Blu Girls to a 3-2 record, keeping their hopes alive of reaching at least the bronze-medal match on Saturday.

Powering the rout were Mylia Isabel Perez and Nicole Hammoude, who each launched a two-run homer as the Philippines erupted for six runs in the opening inning before finishing the job under the tournament’s 10-run mercy rule.

In the circle, Glory Alonzo and Mary Joy Alpitche split pitching duties, with Alpitche striking out three as the Blu Girls completely shut down Singapore.

But the celebration will be short.

Waiting next is unbeaten China, which enters Thursday’s showdown with a perfect 5-0 record. The game is scheduled for 10 a.m. Manila time.

It is the kind of matchup that can define a tournament run.

The Blu Girls have found their rhythm.

Now they face the team that hasn’t lost.

CHINA VS. THE BLU GIRLS. LET THE ROAR BEGIN. 

𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗥𝗗 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘’𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗠? 𝗔𝗟𝗔𝗦 𝗠𝗘𝗡 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛 𝗔𝗚𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗦𝗧 𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗔! 

Alas Pilipinas Men return to action in the 2026 Asian Games classification round, facing familiar Southeast Asian rival Indonesia as they look to finally break through against a team that has already beaten them twice this year.

The Nationals finished at the bottom of Pool D after falling to Korea, China, and Chinese Taipei. After being swept in their first two matches, Alas managed to take a set from Chinese Taipei in their final preliminary-round assignment.

Indonesia also had a difficult group stage, finishing with a 1-2 record. The Indonesians pushed both Thailand and Iran to five sets before falling short, while their lone win came against Kyrgyzstan in straight sets.

Now, the rivalry gets another chapter.

Thursday’s clash marks the third meeting between the Philippines and Indonesia this year. Indonesia swept Alas in the opening leg of the SEA V.Cup in July before taking a four-set victory in the second leg.

For Alas Men, there is no need for extra motivation.

Bryan Bagunas, Marck Espejo, Joshua Magalaman, and Owa Retamar will be among those expected to lead the charge as the Nationals hunt for a much-needed breakthrough in Aichi-Nagoya.

They’ve seen Indonesia before.

They know what went wrong.

NOW, ALAS MEN GET ONE MORE SHOT TO CHANGE THE STORY.

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.