Alas Pilipinas Men is preparing for a significant two-week training in Italy as part of their preparations ahead of the 2025 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship.Italian coach Angiolino Frigoni braces for a tough campaign for the men’s national volleyball team as the world No. 64 Alas Pilipinas was automatically grouped in Pool A, attempting to score an upset as they battle with Asian championship runner-up world Iran, 11-time African Championship titleist Tunisia, and reigning African champion Egypt slated September 12-28 next year.

After flourishing at the Baseball Federation of Asia (BFA) East Asia Men’s Baseball Cup last year, higher stakes are on the table as the Philippine men’s baseball team hopes for a repeat act when they commence their campaign when the country hosts the 14th East Asia Baseball Cup slated October 28 to November 3 at Clark, Pampanga.According to Philippine Amateur Baseball Association (PABA) president Chito Loyzaga, the nation is rarely given the chance to organize an event of this nature; the previous one was held in 1995, or about thirty years ago. For this reason, the Philippines is making sure that everything is ready for the occasion.

Seasoned senior chess players Chito Garma and Efren Bagamasbad will compete for the Philippines in the 32nd FIDE World Senior Championships in Portugal next month.The two Filipinos will compete in the Porto tournament from November 16 to 29 with the goal of achieving the Grandmaster titles.Garma, a two-time Olympian, is competing in the 50-and-up group, Bagamasbad in the 65-plus category, and another member, Mario Mangubat, has also entered the 50-plus division.In their appearance at the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum on Tuesday, October 8, Garma, Bagamasbad, and Philippine delegation member Marlon Bernardino discussed and assessed the country’s chances of contending against the world’s best senior chess players next month.“It would be nice to hear that you are a world senior champion and also a grandmaster,” said Garma in Filipino, who competed for the nation in the Chess Olympiads in Manila in 1992 and Yugoslavia in 1990.“This also serves as an inspiration to the young players because if we could do it, then they could, too,” he added.

The much-awaited Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference is scheduled to take place over six exciting months, with clubs competing for supremacy on the court in action-packed matches and intense competition.The Philsports Arena in Pasig will host the season opener on November 9, 2024, and fans are excited to see what promises to be one of the most surprising and evenly matched seasons yet.Entering the season as the squad to beat is Creamline, the current PVL powerhouse and recent Grand Slam holder. The Cool Smashers are anticipated to keep setting the bar high as their roster is mostly intact.Creamline is expected to make its first appearance on November 16 against long-time rival Petro Gazz at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.In an effort to contend with Creamline’s dominance and sustain a competitive advantage, a number of teams have made roster adjustments. 

Chezka Centeno surrendered her World 10-Ball women’s title in the semifinals of the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) World 10-Ball Women’s Championships in San Juan, Puerto Rico.Centeno fell 0-2 behind familiar South Korean opponent Seo Seoa on Saturday, November 16, in the round of four, triumphed in the third frame but was outplayed again 1-4 in the succeeding match.Seo then lost 1-4, 4-3, 3-4, 4-3, 4-0 to eventual champion Kristina Tkach of Russia, ultimately settling for second place.

The San Miguel Beermen climbed-up from a 16-point deficit to defeat the Phoenix Fuel Masters, 107-104, on Tuesday, December 3, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.Marcio Lassiter rifled his 15th point in the game when he was found by Juami Tiongson in the open corner after a solid pick given by import Quincy Miller to give San Miguel a 105-104 lead.Phoenix then still had a chance to get a knack at the basket with 2.3 seconds remaining but they threw the ball away forcing them to foul Beermen's Simon Enciso who sank both of his free throws.Fuel Masters import Donovan Smith still had a chance to force the game to overtime when he made an attempt at the backcourt with 0.7 left in the game but his shot only hit the board.

Petro Gazz overpowered Akari in straight sets, 28-26, 29-27, 25-18, to claim its third win in the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference on Thursday, December 5, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.Brooke van Sickle and Myla Pablo joined forces to edge the Chargers with the Filipino-American hitter hammering 19 points built on 15 attacks including 13 excellent digs, while Pablo added 15 markers off 13 kills, a block, and an ace.Van Sickle gave captain Remy Palma credit for the victory, stating that her leadership helped Petro Gazz get through the tense first few sets and win the straight-setter.“Coming off our rest, we haven’t played in a while so to be able to come out and stay focused in those tight matches was awesome,” said Van Sickle.“I’m super proud of everyone, I feel like Rem [Palma] did a very good job collecting all the girls while we’re on the court and just to slow us down because I feel like at times we we’re like ‘ahhh’ and she’s like ‘calm down, it’s okay, take a breath and just play our volleyball,’” added the reigning conference MVP.

Meralco blew a double-digit lead against the Busan KCC Egis, 68-72, in the continuation of the East Asia Super League (EASL) home-and-away season on Wednesday, December 18, at the Busan Sajik Gymnasium. The Bolts appeared to be headed for their third EASL victory and a trip to the Final Four.With 4:02 remaining, the Bolts appeared to be in control, 66-53, but their 13-point advantage was erased by Heo Ung, headlining the comeback with four consecutive three-pointers to reduce the deficit to just one.The 31-year-old Ung scored an easy layup to give Busan the lead after Chris Newsome missed a layup. The Bolts turned to the returning Akil Mitchell with four seconds remaining in the game, but he made a poor turn-around jumper that missed the basket.Ung finished with a game-high 31 points, 17 of which came in the final four minutes of the game. Deonte Burton contributed 26 markers, 14 rebounds, and five assists in the come-from-behind win. 

National University (NU) reaffirmed its dominance in both men’s and women’s volleyball, securing crucial victories over the University of Santo Tomas (UST) to close the first round of the UAAP Season 87 tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, March 16.

In a Finals series that reached its pinnacle, a new team emerged as champions — OKC defeated the Indiana Pacers in Game 7, 103-91, at the Paycom Center on Monday, June 23 (Philippine time).

It was a dream debut for Collins Akowe and a perfect opening statement for host school University of Santo Tomas.The rookie sensation powered the Growling Tigers to a stunning 87-67 rout of defending champion University of the Philippines in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball opener on Sunday, September 20, instantly reshaping the league’s title picture.Akowe, a prized recruit from the National University Bullpups, imposed his will on both ends of the floor, finishing with a monster double-double of 29 points and 17 rebounds. His dominance in the paint anchored UST’s charge, as the España-based squad set the tone early and never looked back.With the Growling Tigers’ suffocating defense complementing Akowe’s inside presence, the Fighting Maroons were kept on their heels all game long, unable to find their rhythm in their first step toward a title defense.The convincing victory not only gave UST a massive morale boost but also signaled that the once-struggling program is determined to contend this season.

Things will be different when the PBA 49th Season Governor’s Cup opens on August 18 as it adopts a new format for the season-opening conference.The new format will divide the 12 teams in two groups; Group A is composed of reigning Governor’s Cup Champion TNT Tropang Giga together with Meralco Bolts, Converge FiberXers, Northport Batang Pier, Terrafirma Dyip and Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots while Group B is composed of crowd-favorite Brgy. Ginebra San Miguel, together with Blackwater Bossing, Phoenix Fuel Masters, Rain or Shine Elasto Painter, NLEX Road Warriors and San Miguel Beermen.Under the new setup that was announced by league Commissioner Willie Marcial, teams in each group will play each other twice in a double round robin.The top four teams from each group will advance to the crossover quarterfinals, with No. 1 taking on No. 4 and No. 2 battling No. 3 in a best-of-five series.The semifinals and finals will both be a best-of-seven affairs.Meanwhile, the mid-season Commissioner’s Cup and season-concluding Philippine Cup will have the same format as used in the previous seasons. 

Alex Eala climbed to a career-high world ranking of 143 in singles and 208 in doubles in the latest Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) list.Eala surged in those ranks after displaying her prowess and snaring a rare double titles win during the W100 Vitoria-Gasteiz’s singles and doubles competition in Spain last weekend for her fifth singles pro title and third doubles crown.The 19-year-old improved 12 notches higher than her previous singles ranking of 155 while ascending 31 steps from 239th place in the doubles.After her feat at the W100, Eala gets back into action at the W125 Polish Open in Warsaw, Poland beginning today. She is seeded 4th and is the favorite to win against Isabela Shinikova of Bulgaria in the Round of 32.While in the doubles, Eala is reunited with Latvia's Daria Semenistaja. They will be tested against second seeds Martyna Kubka and Weronika Falkowska of Poland in the quarterfinals.

LeBron James was selected by his Team USA peers across all sports to be their 2024 flag bearer for the 2024 Paris Olympics.James became the first men’s player selected as a flag bearer following women’s basketball stars Dawn Staley in 2024 Athens Games and Sue Bird for the Tokyo Games in 2021.The four-time NBA champion and all-time NBA leading scorer who will make his fourth appearance in the Summer games will lead a boat of American athletes down the Seine River where the Olympic Opening Ceremony will be held.

John Ceniza’s journey to the Olympics was one borne out of hard work, sacrifice, and literally carrying around different goods before being able to carry the hopes of a nation hungry for Olympic success.The 26-year-old Cebuano athlete is the first male weightlifter since 2016 who will be representing the Philippines in the Olympic Games.Ceniza secured his first ticket to the Paris Olympics after a strong performance in the 2024 International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Cup men’s 61kg event in Phuket, Thailand last April.Ceniza lifted 132 kg in the snatch category and then 168 kg in the clean and jerk. In total, he was able to register a total lift of 300 kilograms, toppling his personal best of 298 kilograms during the 2023 IWF Grand Prix II in Qatar.Ceniza’s powerful and outstanding delivery in these prestigious sports competitions rooted from his humble beginnings of being a freight loader or a ‘kargador’ as a source of his livelihood. He would carry bananas, coconuts, and firewood to sustain his daily needs.It was not until his brother introduced him to a different type of lifting - the sport of weightlifting, where he bagged his first-ever gold medal with a total record of 139kg in the 42 kg category of Batang Pinoy in Bacolod City in 2014.Because of his sheer determination to carry and build his weightlifting career, Ceniza built a whirlwind of international wins.In 2019, he nabbed silver at the Southeast Asian Games in the men’s 55kg category with an overall lift of 252 kg. A year later, at the men’s 61 kg category of the 2020 Weightlifting World Cup in Rome, he bagged the bronze medal upon carrying 269 kg.He is the third weightlifter from Cebu to represent the country in the Olympics after Elreen Ando in Tokyo 2020 and national team coach Ramon Solis in Seoul 1988.Bringing his experience and determination to the Olympic stage, Ceniza is eyeing to make history by becoming the first Filipino male lifter to win an Olympic gold medal.Ceniza’s shot at that coveted gold medal will be in the men’s 61 kilograms competition of the Paris games on August 7.

The Philippines prepared 5 boxing athletes who are well-trained and equipped for what could become a historic run in the 2024 Paris Olympics.Among them are veterans and newbies with one core mission: bring home coveted Olympic medals.The Philippines are no stranger to Boxing in the Olympic Games. In 1996, They are of follows: Eumir Felix MarcialHe represents the Philippines and won a silver medal during the 2019 World Championships.Marcial managed to join and be qualified for the middleweight event for 2020 Tokyo Olympics which in the later postponed to 2021 due to the outbreak of Covid 19 Pandemic.After advancing to the semifinals against boxer Oleksandr Khyzhniak of Ukraine, Marcial brought the first bronze medal since 1992He was also the first Filipino boxer to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics.Marcial thanked his fans for believing in his abilities and hoping to continue in support in his endeavor towards the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics. He has a total of boxing fights, in which 5 of these are Wins. 3 of those wins were by knockout, while Marcial continues to have a spotless record with no losses. Aira Villegas,Aira’s boxing career started in Tacloban City, where she learned to be tough and studied and learned boxing as her self defense.At the age of 15 years old she kept on focusing on practice and after joining  the Boxam Elite tournament in Spain, She won her first Gold Medal.  She is being chosen for the Olympic ticket in 1st World Qualification Tournament.However, it was her brother who encouraged her to pursue a boxing career in order for her to join in the Olympic Games.And through this sport, they were able to manage and help their family to provide for their daily needs.Her years of training paid off as during her stint during the In 2019 Southeast Asian Games, she won a bronze medal.She also competed at the 2022 Asian Games which was held in Hangzhou, China, where she lost the fight with her Mongolian opponent last year. From the gyms in Tacloban, Aira will now take her talents to the 2024 Paris Olympics, representing the country in the women’s flyweight 50-kg competition. Nesthy Petecio, Just like Aira, Nesthy was taught boxing as a means of self-defense.At the young age of 11, Petecio had a big break in her boxing career by. Joining boxing match during the celebration of Araw ng Dabaw in 2002, a match that she eventually won.In 2007, she competed in the Smart National Youth and Women’s Open Boxing Championship held in Cagayan De Oro City where she won a gold medal and earned the opportunity to be a part of the country’s national boxing team.Petecio started to compete and represented the country in several international competitions, some of which was the 2014 AIBA Women’s World Championship where she obtained a silver medal.2011 & 2013 Southeast Asian Games where she won both silver medals, the 2012 Asian Championship where she won a bronze medal, and a gold medal win in the 2015 Indonesia President’s Cup.In 2020, Nesthy qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics due to her high competitive rankings. Her first fight was a victory against Marcelat Sakobi Matshu of the Democratic Republic of Congo but, after facing her amateur rival Sena Irie in the final, Petecio lost by unanimous decision and won the silver medal, the first Olympic boxing medal won by a Filipino boxer in 25 years.Petecio is aiming for a her-story-making moment by trying to snag one more medal for a back-to-back medal performance in the Olympics. The hope that many for Nesthy have, is that this time, her silver turns to gold. Carlo PaalamCarlo joined the National Team in2013 and started competing internationally in 2016 where he earned both bronze medals during the AIBA youth Asian Championship and Asian Games in 2018.Later, he made a debut at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after being qualified through the IOC-BTF. Paalam won a silver medal during his bout in the Men’s Flyweight division against Galal Yafai of Great Britain.This time, Carlo’s hopes for an Olympic gold may not just be saying goodbye.This, after Paalam qualified for the Summer Games after winning over Indian Sachin Siwach in the men’s 57kg division semifinals during the 2024 Boxing 2nd World Qualification Tournament in Bangkok, Thailand which was held on June 1. Hergie BacyadanBefore coming into the world of boxing, Hergie was a former martial artist and a wushu and vovinam practitioner.Bacyadan joined the Philippine national wushu team in 2016. In 2017, she took part in the Inaugural Sanda Asian Cup and World Wushu Championship which was held in Foshan China and Russia where she earned both silver medals in a 65k-kilogram division.During her Boxing career, it was marked when she participated in the 2019 ASBC Asian Grand Slam Boxing Championships held in Xiamen China.Bacyadan qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris after winning her quota bout during the 2024 World Olympic Qualification Tournament against Maryelis Yriza of Venezuela - a win, which can see Hergie transcend the boundaries of what an athlete can do and achieve.  The Philippines has seen its own level of success in boxing - one that it has achieved throughout the years. Only time can tell if the country’s Olympic successes in the sport can once again awaken the country’s successes in the sport.

Philippine female gymnasts gave a good account of themselves during the qualification round of the women’s artistic gymnastics in the 2024 Paris Olympics held at the Bercy Arena.Levi Ruivivar, Emma Malabuyo, and Aleah Finnegan all had their moments; they all failed to advance to the next round by not entering the top eight of any of the events and falling short of making it to top 24 in the all-around.Jung-Ruivivar and Malabuyo both totaled 51.099 points in the all-around, while Finnegan tallied 50.498.Jung-Ruivivar, the youngest member of Team Philippines at 18 years old and who recently anaphylactic shock caused by her allergies just days before the competition, posted 13.600 in vault, 13.200 in uneven bars, 12.433 in floor exercise, and 11.866 in balance beam.On the other hand, Malabuyo netted 13.266 points in vault, 13.100 in floor exercise, 12.500 in uneven bars, and 12.233 in balance beam, while Finnegan averaged 13.387 in vault and scored 12.733 in floor exercise, 12.566 in uneven bars, and 11.466 in balance beam.Despite being eliminated early, the trio still showed gallant effort and made history for the country as the Philippines waited for 60 years for a female gymnast to see action in the Olympics once again. Maria Luisa Flora and Evelyn Magluyan represented the Philippine team in the 1964 Tokyo Games.With the three booted out of the competition already, the task of winning the Philippines’ first Olympic medal in gymnastics fell on the shoulders of Carlos Yulo, who advanced to the men’s all-around, floor exercise and vault finals.The debuting trio however are still optimistic to do better in their craft and look forward to another Olympic stint in the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games.

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang may have crowned its new Queens of the sport.This, after Smart Omega Empress (OMGE) dethroned stalwarts, Team Vitality (VIT), to take the MLBB Women's Invitational (MWI) 2024 and write history as the first Filipino team to win a tournament at the Esports World Cup.The all-Filipino team executed a clean sweep over their Indonesian rivals in the Best-Of-Five (BO5) Grand Finals, ending their 24-match winning streak dating back to 2021.OMGE Roamer, Meraaay said during the post-match press conference: “We want to give honor to our country. I hope we made our kababayans (countrymen) proud, including those who went to the venue to support us. It feels like a dream for all of us. We would like to take our hats off to Team Vitality who gave us a good fight. We can already call ourselves world champions."

In what appeared to be a continuation of a sad story overall for the Filipino judoka, Kiyomi Watanabe’s Olympic dream ended early as she fell quickly out of medal contention in the 2024 Paris Games.She ended her Olympics bid in a 51-second Ippon loss against China’s Jing Tang in the women’s judo -63kg Round of 32 at the Champ-de-Mar Arena in Paris, France Tuesday afternoon (Manila time).This is the second straight early exit for Watanabe, following a similar ippon loss against Spanish judoka Cristina Cabana Perez in just 38 seconds at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in 2021.Watanabe is the third Filipino and first woman judo athlete to compete in multiple Summer Olympic Games, the last being John Baylon and Jerry Dino in the 1988 Seoul and 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games.Watanabe is a regional champion, having won in the Southeast Asian Games in 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019.

Filipina tennis player Alex Eala tallied her first win of the US Open qualifiers in New York in a three-set victory to start her campaign.Coming off back-to-back quarterfinals appearances in two US tournaments, the 19-year-old Filipina defeated Australia’s Maddison Inglis in the first qualifying match, 6-3, 2-6, 6-1.Eala’s win set her up with a tough challenge against 15th-seeded Nuria Parrizas-Diaz of Spain in the second round of the qualifiers on Thursday, August 22 (Manila time).This is Eala’s last chance this year to qualify for the first time to the main draw of a pro Grand Slam tournament.