In a crucial moment for Petro Gazz, veteran Nicole Tiamzon delivered when it mattered most.With the Angels reeling from two straight losses and fighting for survival in the PVL On Tour, Tiamzon emerged as a steadying force, firing 16 points on 15 attacks and a block to help Petro Gazz turn back Choco Mucho in four sets, 20-25, 25-19, 26-24, 25-17, Tuesday night, July 29, at the Candon City Arena in Ilocos Sur.It was the perfect time for Tiamzon to break out, stepping into the spotlight as Petro Gazz navigated its first match without Japanese head coach Koji Tsuzurabara. Under interim tactician Brian Esquibel, the Angels played with renewed energy and composure—traits Tiamzon embodied throughout the match.

Filipina wushu standout Agatha Wong captured bronze in the women’s taijijian at the 17th World Wushu Championships in Brasilia, Brazil, after delivering a strong performance that earned her 9.703 points. Wong, one of the country’s most decorated wushu athletes, placed behind Japan’s Shino Saito, who took home the gold, and Singapore’s Zeanne Law, who captured silver. The medal also marks a significant comeback for the five-time Southeast Asian Games champion who was eager to bounce back following her earlier setback at the Chengdu World Games.Meanwhile, the Philippines also celebrated other medalists: Carlos Baylon Jr. (silver, men’s sanda 56kg) and bronze medalists Russel Diaz (men’s sanda 52kg), Gideon Fred Padua (men’s sanda 60kg), Xander Alipio (men’s sanda 65kg), Jenifer Kilapio (women’s sanda 52kg), and Krisna Malecdan (women’s sanda 56kg).

Rubilen "Bingkay" Amit began playing billiards during her teens, but her first sport was basketball until she turned 12. At that age, her classmates started to focus on other activities, so her father took the opportunity to introduce her to billiards.At first, she enjoyed playing with her cousins. But her father, Bobby, saw her potential and would incentivize her with prizes, such as shirts and pants, for winning each competition, until she often tagged along with her father at the Super Bowl in Makati.She stopped competing for a while to obtain a college degree in accountancy at the University of Santo Tomas. Eventually, she returned to 9-ball and won 10 gold medals in the Southeast Asian Games.With her family’s encouragement, she was able to hone her keen eye and sensibilities. At the same time, she maintained composure under pressure, allowing her strategies to dismantle those of her opponents.

Lee Vann Corteza is a Filipino professional pool player. Nicknamed "The Slayer," he began playing pool in 1993. He is the oldest of five brothers, and his parents named him after American actor Lee Van Cleef.Corteza first took up pool at the age of thirteen, after a friend brought him to a pool parlor. He was subsequently blacklisted from the establishment after accidentally damaging a table.He has won four gold medals and one silver medal at the Southeast Asian Games and was the winner of the 2004 WPA Asian Nine-ball Tour tournament in the Philippines, defeating fellow countryman Francisco "Django" Bustamante, 13–11, in the final.On March 31, 2007, Corteza won the Philippine National Championship by defeating Marlon Manalo with a score of 13–11.In 2009, Corteza finished as runner-up in the WPA World Ten-ball Championship, losing to Mika Immonen of Finland, 11–6, in Quezon City, Philippines.In 2010, Corteza beat Taiwanese player Lo Li-Wen, 13–12, in the final to win the U.S. Open Ten-ball Championship in Las Vegas. He avenged an earlier loss to Lo, who had sent him to the one-loss side with a 9–6 victory. Corteza then defeated Shane Van Boening, 9–8, to earn another shot at Lo and ultimately captured the title along with $20,000 in prize money.

Rhianne Hailie Jade Alix is already turning heads as a forward for the Philippine National Women’s Ice Hockey Team at the age of 16. She is known for her speed, agility, and smart puck control, Alix brings youthful energy and a fresh edge to the team’s offensive lineup.She is also a product of the Philippines’ growing grassroots ice hockey movement, Alix exemplifies the sport’s expanding reach among the youth. Her journey began in mall skating rinks, where curiosity quickly turned into passion—and then into national-level performance. Despite her age, she has earned the respect of her teammates and coaches with her relentless work ethic, sharp instincts, and playmaking ability.

The San Miguel Beermen held off a furious comeback by Barangay Ginebra San Miguel to escape with a thrilling 83–81 victory in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai early Monday (Manila time).Leading by as much as 14 points, San Miguel weathered Ginebra’s late rally behind the leadership of June Mar Fajardo, who turned in another MVP-caliber performance with 17 points, 16 rebounds, five assists, and four blocks.Veteran guard Kris Rosales delivered in the clutch, knocking down two crucial three-pointers in the final minutes to help the Beermen secure their second win in four games.“Our schedule is quite packed, but we still managed to execute our game plan and get the win,” said Fajardo, who also took time to thank the Filipino fans in Dubai for their unwavering support.Ginebra had a final chance to snatch the win after forcing a turnover in the last 3.7 seconds, but Scottie Thompson’s desperation three-pointer missed at the buzzer.Japeth Aguilar led the Gin Kings with 20 points, 12 rebounds, and three assists, while RJ Abarrientos added 17 points, and Thompson nearly posted a triple-double with 15 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists.Despite Ginebra’s valiant effort, San Miguel’s composure and experience proved decisive, giving them a momentum boost as they continue their title campaign in the midseason conference.

On Sunday, May 4, at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City, Rizal, the TNT Tropang 5G finally found their groove after dropping their first three outings, while the Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots continued to dominate the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup, capturing their fifth straight victory.TNT’s 89-84 upset over the San Miguel Beermen was less about precision and more about pride.“We're a different team now,” admitted TNT head coach Chot Reyes, acknowledging the absence of Rondae Hollis-Jefferson—due to the All-Filipino format—and team leader Jayson Castro, who remains out with an injury. “We said, ‘Let’s write our own story.’ This win is just the first chapter.”Calvin Oftana led the charge with 23 points and a career-high 21 rebounds, delivering both the numbers and the intangibles.

Filipino MMA star Joshua “The Passion” Pacio is set to chase history as he aims to become the Philippines’ first two-division world champion in ONE Championship.Widely recognized as the most accomplished strawweight in the promotion’s history, Pacio is moving up in weight to challenge newly crowned flyweight champion Yuya “Little Piranha” Wakamatsu at ONE 173 on November 16 at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.Now 29, Pacio has exclusively competed at strawweight throughout his ONE career. Despite stepping into unfamiliar territory, he embraces the challenge. “This is a new chapter for me. I know the odds, but I’ve been through adversity before. I’m ready for this,” Pacio shared. Earlier this year, Pacio made a triumphant return after nearly a year sidelined by a partially torn ACL. At ONE 171 in Qatar last February, he completed his trilogy against Jarred Brooks for the ONE Strawweight MMA World Title. After surviving a dangerous guillotine attempt in the opening round, Pacio rallied in the second, unleashing ground-and-pound to unify the strawweight crown. The win improved his record to 23-4 and marked his seventh reign as ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion.At ONE 173, Pacio faces a formidable opponent in Wakamatsu, who enters the bout on a four-fight win streak, including a victory over Pacio’s teammate Danny Kingad. Wakamatsu claimed the vacant ONE Flyweight title at ONE 172 in May with a knockout win over Adriano Moraes.Despite the challenge of fighting in front of a partisan Japanese crowd, Pacio remains undeterred. “I’ll be walking into his backyard, but I know the Filipino spirit travels well. I’m doing this not just for me, but for the entire Philippines,” he said.A victory would make Pacio the first Filipino to capture ONE world titles in two divisions, cementing his legacy as one of the country’s greatest combat sports icons.

ZUS Coffee delivered a shocking sweep of Petro Gazz, 25-21, 25-23, 27-25, in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference quarterfinals on Tuesday night, March 18, at the PhilSports Arena. The victory not only snapped the Angels’ 10-game winning streak but also pushed the Thunderbelles to the verge of their first-ever semifinal appearance. In one of their most balanced performances yet, five players scored in double digits, proving their depth and teamwork against an established PVL contender.Setter Cloanne Mondoñedo orchestrated the offense brilliantly with 19 excellent sets, while Chai Troncoso led all scorers with 14 markers. Thea Gagate and Jovelyn Gonzaga tallied 11 apiece, while Mich Gamit and Chinnie Arroyo contributed 10 each in a well-rounded attack.The Thunderbelles also dominated at the net, recording 11 blocks compared to Petro Gazz’s five. Troncoso anchored the defense with five kill blocks, while Gagate added three.

The San Miguel Beermen fended off a spirited comeback from the Meralco Bolts, 110-98, in a throwback-filled matchup as the PBA celebrated its 50th Anniversary on Wednesday, April 9, at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.Sporting retro uniforms in celebration of the league’s milestone, the Beermen secured their second straight-win in the conference, while the Bolts dropped to 2-1.June Mar Fajardo delivered another stellar performance with 28 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists, while CJ Perez top scored with 29 markers, five boards, four dimes, and two steals.

Zus Coffee secured a quarterfinal spot in the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference, while Nxled ended its campaign on a high note with a dominant win, as both teams wrapped up their play-in matches on Thursday at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.   

The controversial result of the super-featherweight title clash between Filipino boxing star Charly Suarez and Mexican champion Emanuel Navarrete on May 11, 2025, is set to be overturned following a thorough review by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC).The CSAC is expected to change the official outcome of the fight to a no-contest — a decision that could pave the way for a high-stakes rematch.Navarrete originally retained his WBO super-featherweight title via an eighth-round technical decision. The bout was halted due to a cut above Navarrete’s left eyebrow, which referee Edward Collantes ruled was caused by an unintentional headbutt. This led to the judges' scorecards being used, resulting in a win for Navarrete.However, after conducting an extensive post-fight review, the CSAC determined that the cut was actually caused by a legal punch from Suarez in Round 6 — not a clash of heads, as initially ruled. Video replays supported this finding, contradicting the original call.Had this been correctly identified during the bout, Suarez would have won the title by technical knockout (TKO), as the injury would have forced a stoppage.While replay official Jack Reiss maintained there was "no conclusive evidence" to reverse the referee’s decision at the time, the CSAC’s subsequent investigation provided clarity. As a result, the fight’s outcome is now poised to be amended to a no-contest.The WBO is expected to mandate a rematch — a move welcomed by both camps. In fact, Top Rank Vice President of Operations Carl Moretti voiced his support for a rematch immediately following the fight.If the ruling is officially changed to a no-contest, it would not only revive Charly Suarez’s shot at the world title but also set the stage for what could become one of the most compelling rivalries in boxing this year.

The Cignal HD Spikers swept the Akari Chargers in their match-up, 25-17, 25-15, 25-21, to secure the No. 3 seed in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference on Tuesday, February 18, at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.Cignal finished the game in just one hour and 26 minutes.Vanie Gandler unleashed 15 points, including 14 deadly attacks to lead the team to their third straight victory, while Roselyn Doria-Aquino delivered 12 crucial points, including three kill blocks, that earned her Best Player of the Game honors.Rookie sensation Ishie Lalongisip continued her stellar play, chipping in 10 markers, while Jacqueline Acuña provided eight markers to complete a well-balanced assault. The win not only extended the HD Spikers winning streak but also etched their status as one of the team's to beat going into the knockout phase.

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) is exploring the possibility of forming a Gilas Pilipinas lineup that blends PBA pros and top collegiate talent for the upcoming 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand, slated from December 9 to 20.With the PBA’s 50th season Philippine Cup deep in the elimination round by then, the PBA Board of Governors has approved the release of only a limited number of players for the SEA Games campaign.Veteran coach and Meralco consultant Norman Black is being tapped to lead the squad, pending a formal confirmation from the SBP. Black, who last coached a gold-winning SEA Games in 2011, confirmed his willingness to take on the task.

Strong Group Athletics-Philippines capped off a flawless 8-0 run at the William Jones Cup, clinching an emphatic 87-62 victory over the United Arab Emirates on Sunday at Xinzhuang Gymnasium.With the title already secured ahead of the final game, the Filipinos left no doubt, sealing back-to-back championships and the country’s eighth overall Jones Cup crown.“We’re happy to win another championship. We never take anything for granted, now a two-time Jones Cup champion with Strong Group. “Our bosses go all out to support us every time we represent the country.” said coach Charles Tiu.UAE kept things close in the first half, trailing by just one at the break, 37-36. But Strong Group broke the game open in the third quarter behind a surge from Tajuan Agee and Allen Liwag. Kiefer Ravena and Dave Ildefonso delivered big shots in the fourth to put the game away.Agee paced the team with 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. Ravena contributed 13 points and 9 assists, while DJ Fenner and Ian Miller scored 12 each. Ildefonso added 10 points. Andre Roberson, who starred throughout the tournament, sat out the finale.The Filipinos dominated the second half, outscoring UAE 50-26, and extended their unbeaten streak to 16 games over the last two Jones Cup editions. Their run included wins over top teams like Chinese-Taipei Blue, Japan Developmental, Qatar, Australia’s NBL1 Rising Stars, Malaysia, and Bahrain.Coach Tiu praised his squad’s chemistry and commitment: “It’s special because I don’t know if we’ll have this group again. But these guys were willing to sacrifice—something that’s very rare.”

The ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles carved history in Davao, clinching their first-ever franchise championship after outlasting the powerhouse De La Salle University Lady Spikers, 25-17, 25-19, 23-25, 25-23, in the finals of the 2025 Davao Invitational Volleyball Tournament on Sunday, September 7, at the University of Southeastern Philippines Gymnasium and Cultural Center.Led by Guimaras native Jovelyn Gonzaga, the Thunderbelles capped an unbeaten four-game campaign, dropping just one set throughout the week-long tilt. Gonzaga, who made her much-anticipated return after sitting out the PVL Invitational, shone brightest as she claimed both the Most Valuable Player and Best Opposite Hitter awards.ZUS Coffee’s depth also came to the fore as team captain Cloanne Mondoñedo earned the Best Setter citation, Chinnie Arroyo was named Best Outside Hitter, and promising rookie Mycah Go took home the Best Server award.

The first time Olympian Filipina fencer Samantha Kyle Catantan shared her advice on how to achieve our dreams and pursue our passion.

Terrafirma staged an unlikely victory over league-leader TNT, 117-108, as they concluded their PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup campaign on Wednesday, January 22, at the Ynares Center.Rookie Mark Nonoy showcased his finest PBA performance to date, posting a season-high 33 points, allowing the Dyip to close their campaign on a high note despite dropping their first 11 games."I just trusted them," said Terrafirma head coach Raymond Tiongco. “We know their strength. We made our shots earlier so we also played well, from the outside to the inside. We got the TNT off-guard. We made our shots, especially Nonoy when we ran."Nonoy was all smiles as he was able to share the floor with one of his childhood heroes. Motivated by his encounter with Jayson Castro, the left-handed guard finished with four assists, four rebounds, and a 10-of-13 shooting percentage."I was inspired by Kuya Jayson because it was our first time playing against each other. Since my childhood, I've been watching him," said Nonoy, who went 5-of-6 from three. “He is one of the PBA players I’m inspired by. I was confident because I wanted to challenge him,” he added.

Don’t miss the chance to witness history in the making as Filipino Olympic bronze medalist Eumir Marcial returns to the ring on the undercard of the blockbuster Manny Pacquiao-Mario Barrios bout this Sunday, July 20, 2025 (Manila time) in Las Vegas.Marcial, one of the Philippines’ brightest boxing stars, was originally set to face Mexico’s Alexis Gaytan in an eight-round middleweight showdown. But with Gaytan sidelined by an injury, Marcial will now take on the formidable American, Bernard Joseph—a fresh challenge that promises even more excitement.This isn’t just another bout for Marcial. It’s a pivotal moment in his journey from Olympic hero to professional contender, and all eyes will be on him as he steps into the global spotlight once again. With his relentless drive and world-class skills, Marcial is determined to prove he’s a force in the pro ranks.As the world tunes in to celebrate Manny Pacquiao’s legendary comeback, make sure you’re there to cheer for the next generation of Filipino boxing greatness. Eumir Marcial’s fight is a must-watch—don’t miss this electrifying night of action. Team Pacquiao and Marcial are already heading to Las Vegas in great condition following intense strength and conditioning programs and heavy sparring sessions, along with the heavy pain and trials they endured after a disappointing result in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The UAAP is ramping up health and safety protocols ahead of Season 88, which opens September 19, following the recent tragic deaths of two young basketball players during training.UAAP Executive Director Atty. Rebo Saguisag stressed at Wednesday’s preseason press conference that while emergency medical services and health protocols have long been in place, the league is now doubling down on caution—especially during training sessions. “We already have emergency medical services in place for competitions. But we’re making sure that athletes undergo proper pre-participation medical screening and reminding schools to be even more vigilant at their training venues,” Saguisag said. The renewed push for athlete safety follows the deaths of National University’s Ashlyn Abong, 18, who collapsed during training on June 28, and University of the Philippines recruit Israel Friday, 19, who died after collapsing at practice on August 20.In response, member schools have also implemented stricter protocols. At UP, the Office of Athletics and Sports Development now requires all students, including athletes, to undergo medical evaluations before enrollment. Student-athletes must also pass a Pre-Participation Medical Sports Evaluation (PMSE) and additional cardiovascular screenings before joining their teams.“They have to undergo tests. Even if they’ve completed the PMSE, further clearance is needed to detect any existing medical conditions,” explained UP’s Bo Perasol.As Season 88 approaches, the UAAP is sending a clear message: while competition is central to collegiate sports, athlete safety remains the top priority.