Philippine gymnastics’ golden boy Carlos Yulo was predicted to win medals at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.The International Gymnast Online - an e-zine and kwon as the leading source of gymnastic news wrote in their July 21 preview of the men’s apparatuses that Yulo will land a gold medal in the men’s floor exercises over defending Olympic champion Artem Dolgopyat of Israel.

Earmarked as the heir apparent to the sole Philippine Olympic gold medalist, Hidilyn Diaz, Vanessa Sarno has definitely big shoes to fill in her first Olympic Games.The 20-year-old weightlifting prodigy guaranteed her spot at the 2024 Paris Olympics after flashing a remarkable performance in the women’s 71-kilogram category at the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Cup held in Phuket, Thailand, last April.Sarno solidified her Olympic aspirations by shattering her previous record in the snatch with 110 kg and cleared 135 kg in the clean and jerk for a total lift of 245 kg to finish fifth in the tournament that served as the last qualifying event for Olympic weightlifting.The Bohol native has been anointed as the predecessor to Tokyo gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz after beating and surpassing record marks at the regional and global levels.Sarno made history after her smashing debut in the 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Hanoi, Vietnam. She single-handedly ruled the -71 kg class with a performance for the ages, lifting 104 kg for the snatch and 135 kg in the clean and jerk, registering a total of 239 kilograms, which was tallied as a new SEA Games and Philippine record.In her much-awaited debut at the Paris Olympics, Sarno is looking to replicate her previous successes and deliver a medal for the Philippines.Now ranked No. 5 in the world, Sarno may be one of the favorites to win a medal, but getting a podium finish in her first trip to the Olympics will be easier said than done as she will be facing a tough field bannered by the likes of world champions Loredana Toma of Romania and Neama Said of Egypt, as well as Tokyo Games bronze medalist Chen Wen-huei of Chinese Taipei.Fans will be able to watch Sarno compete on August 10 on the Smart Livestream App.

As the PBA nears its 50th Season, the league targets to become the best sports entertainment not only in the country but also in Asia.Asia's first play-for-pay league is the most followed sport in the land, and the PBA wants to keep that status, and now looks forward to improving the brand by making the games more exciting and giving in-venue fans an experience that they will never forget.The PBA wants the crowd to be back in the playing venue even though the league is still the most dominant when it comes to TV ratings.In the recently-concluded annual planning session of the PBA board of governors, they established pillars on how to attain their goal of showcasing the league to global fans and make it as the No. 1 basketball entertainment league in Asia.However, chairman Ricky Vargas said that “the challenge is how to execute it.”The ideas include improving the quality and competitiveness of play, re-establishing the league as the source of best talent for the national team and net exporter of players in Asia. They also want to focus on fan engagement by investing in supplementary business like the construction of an own arena and expanding in CSR (corporate social responsibility) programs.In addition to making the game more exciting, PBA will introduce a new set of rules in the coming season highlighted by the implementation of the “four-point shot” from beyond a 27-foot arc.Newly-elected vice chairman Alfranchis Chua said in Filipino, “We have done this in the All-Star Game. With this rule, the zone defense will be lessened, man-to-man will be seen more and the game will be faster.”The PBA will continue to support the national team program and will embrace the thought that a strong Gilas team will be beneficial to the league and vice versa.They will also have programs for the fans where they can mingle, interact and engage with their favorite players. Chua said, “Like those in the upper box, they paid a pricey ticket when they entered the venue and all they got to do was wave to the player. I will tell the coaches that they allow players to go near the fans.” 

Serbian gaming organization Aurora Gaming has formally entered the MLBB scene through the reveal of its powerhouse MPL Philippines roster Saturday night.The team is composed of powerhouse veterans, all of which have had significant experience in and out of the Land of Dawn.Leading the pack are ex-Blacklist International stalwarts Edward Jay “Edward” Dapadap, Kenneth Carl “Yue” Tadeo, and Renejay “Renejay” Barcarse.RSG Philippines’ former star jungler Jonard “Demonkite” Caranto, TNC Pro Team stalwart Ben “Benthings” Maglaque, and Minana EVOS’ Jan Dominic “Domeng” del Mundo have also joined the team.At the coaching team of Aurora’s star-studded lineup are ex-Blacklist coaches Aniel “Master The Basics” Jiandani, supported by assistant coach Dexter Louise “Dex Star” Alaba.And guiding the team as Esports and Gaming Content Directors are MPL legends Johnmar “OhMyV33nus” Villaluna and Danerie James “Wise” del Rosario.Aurora Gaming says their focus on the team would focus on ambassadorship, quelling rumors of a return for both OhMyV33nus and Wise to competitive MLBB.

Team USA dominated the South Sudan Bright Stars 103-86 in the group phase of the Olympics men’s basketball on Wednesday, July 31 at the Pierre Mauro Stadium in Paris, France.There was no repeat of their pre-Olympic game where South Sudan almost made an upset against the Americans as the game ended at 101-100. Team USA had to overcome a 16-point deficit, with LeBron James scoring the game winning lay-up.The Americans showed their might this time as they started the game with a 6-0 run and never looked back until the end to secure their quarterfinals ticket in the Paris Games.Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo led the Americans in scoring with 18 points, 14 of which came from the first half of play. He also grabbed seven rebounds, swatted two shots, dished off one assist and tallied one steal.Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Anthony Edwards, Devin Booker and Derick While all finished in double figures in scoring too.It was also the return of Jayson Tatum in the starting line-up after not playing a single minute in their opening game against Serbia.On the other hand, Noni Omot led South Sudan with 24 points, two rebounds, two assists, and two steals while Carlik Jones added 18 markers, seven dimes, three boards and one steal.Team USA will still be facing Puerto Rico on August 3 to cap off their group stage assignment while the Bright Stars will face Serbia in a must win situation to advance to the next round.

Aira Villegas gifts herself with the best possible present on her 29th birthday as she advances to the women’s 50kg quarterfinals in the Paris Olympics early Friday, August 2 (Manila time).The Filipina boxer stunned the No. 2 seeded Roumaysa Boualam of Algeria when she showcased her quick movement and counterpunching.Villegas repeatedly backed off her Algerian foe with her stinging left jabs and quick combinations, enabling her to get all of the five judges’ nod in the first round. While the next two frames were closer, it was Villegas’ clean blows that spelled the difference.It was the second straight unanimous decision win for Villegas, who has been impressive so far in her Olympic debut. She gave the Philippine boxing team a winning start in the Paris Olympics on Monday, July 29, with a victory over Yasmine Mouttaki of Morocco.The 29-year-old’s win set up a date with home bet and seventh seed Wassila Lkhadiri of France as they duel for a spot in the semifinals on Sunday, August 4 (Manila time).Villegas joins Tokyo silver medalists Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam among the Filipino boxers who remain in the medal contention. 

Germany overcame their slow start to beat Greece 76-63 in their quarter-finals match-up and be the first one to enter the final four in the Olympics Men’s Basketball Tournament on Tuesday, August 6 (Manila Time).Franz Wagner led the German team in scoring with 18 points while Dennis Schroeder chipped in 13 points and 8 assists. The recent World Cup champions improved their record to 4-0 in the tournament.At the beginning of the game at the Bercy Arena, Germany fell behind 10-2 at the start and trailed much of the opening half.But a Schroder three-pointer after the break gave the Germans the momentum to control the game and took a 59-52 advantage coming into the final frame where they finished off their opponent.With the win, Germany men’s basketball team has entered the Olympics semi-finals for the first time in history.

After crashing out of the W100 Landisville quarterfinals, Filipina tennis ace Alex Eala bounced back from her loss rather quickly after outplaying Julia Riera of Argentina in the first round of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) W100 Tournament in Cary, North Carolina on Monday, August 12.At the women’s singles Round of 32, the 147th ranked Eala overpowered the world No. 119 and eighth seeded Riera, 6-3, 6-1, in a 58-minutes match to move to the Round of 16.The 19-year-old Eala was fresh off a loss from the 2024 Kewer Jewelers Tennis Challenge in Landisville, Pennsylvania over the weekend, losing to Olivia Galecki of Australia in the quarterfinals, 6-1, 0-6, 6-3.Eala is either going to face Hina Inoue of the United States or her former doubles partner Oksana Selekhmeteva of Russia in the next round. The tournament serves as Eala’s final build up for the US Open Qualifiers set August 20 to 24 in New York.

Far Eastern University has announced the return of Tina Salak as the head coach of the Lady Tamaraws for the upcoming UAAP Season 87.The development, made on Wednesday, August 14, marks Salak’s reassumption of the role after she stepped down as FEU’s main tactician in June last year due to her plans of migrating to the US.

Gymnast Association of the Philippines (GAP) chief Cynthia Carrion is planning to form an Olympic team that the Philippines will send to the LA Olympics in 2028 with the sibling of two-time gold medalist Carlos Yulo hopefully being included in the team. Carrion made a forecast and hoping that two Yulos’ will compete in the LA Olympics in 2028. She is referring to the 16 year-old younger brother of Caloy, Karl Eldrew, who has shown the same determination and promise that his elder brother showed on his sporting success. Karl Eldrew is now making his own name in the world of gymnastics and has already bagged gold medals from different international competitions.Eldrew, won a gold medal in the junior level of the Men’s Artistic Gymnastics Asian Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, as he reigned supreme in the vault last May of this year. He posted an average of 14.433 points, Yulo ruled the event for his first title in the continental showpiece after settling for silver in the previous edition in Singapore.

Filipina pole vaulter Riezel Buenaventura claimed a silver medal in women’s pole vault (35-39) of the World Masters Athletics Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden.Buenaventura registered a height of 3.13 meters behind the 3.45 meter of her German rival.This is the country’s second medal after the silver of Danilo Fresnido in the javelin throw event. Meanwhile, master athletes Judith Staples and Drolly Claravall will be seeing action in the women’s discus throw, while Benigno Marayag will compete in the men’s long jump on Monday, August 19.

Capital1 ended the preliminaries of the 2024 Premier League Volleyball (PVL) Reinforced Conference on a high note after drubbing Galeries Towerson Tuesday, August 20, at FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.The Solar Spikers morphed into a legitimate contender in the PVL after winning against the Highrisers in four sets, 25-13, 26-28, 25-22, 25-21.

Rain or Shine head coach Joseller “Yeng” Guiao is elated after the Philippine Supreme Court approved his petition for mandamus calling on the country’s gambling regulators to distribute funds to the country’s sports commission.At the heels of the weekly Philippine Sportswriters Association or PSA Forum in Manila, the former Pampanga solon, who is once again leading tactics for the Elasto Painters in the PBA, says he is expecting that the move will generate much-needed funding for the country’s sports programs.

Filipino netters Bambi Zoleta and Princess Catindig failed to advance in the medal round of the women’s singles of the 17th World Soft Tennis Championships in Anseong, Korea, early Thursday, September 6.Both netters lost in the quarterfinals as Zoleta bowed, 2-4, against Chiang Min-Yu of Chinese Taipei while Catindig was ruled by Fu Xiao Chen of China with 1-4. Despite the upset in the women’s singles, the Philippines will carry on its bid for a medal in the World Championship following Zoleta and Patrick Mendoza’s superb performance of defeating Slovakia, 4-0, in the Mixed Doubles Round of 64.Meanwhile, Bien Zoleta-Mañalac and Dheo Talatayod won against Cambodia, 4-1, in the Round of 32.The last time the Philippine Soft Tennis set foot in the medal round was in the 2015 World Championships in New Delhi, India where Zoleta-Mañalac nabbed a bronze in women’s singles.

The ASICS Rock 'n' Roll Running Series – in partnership with IRONMAN Philippines – will be hosting its third edition of the annual running event on November 24. Princess Galura, president and general manager of Sunrise Events Inc. emphasizes the significance of the event, which is part of the IRONMAN Philippines family of events.  This is not just only a running event which has 42km, 21km, 10 km and 5km which falls on 5 M’s, The Memories, Miles, Musics, Medals and Manila but also, it amplifies the vibrancy of an unparalleled marathon experience  that combines the love in running with the power of music and the spirit of community. It will be lined also  with live bands, DJs, and ensembles, ensuring that the spirit of rock and roll powers every step of the marathon. And, in true Rock ‘n’ Roll fashion, participants will be awarded unique heavy medals to commemorate their achievements.The route for this event will be at the iconic Luneta Park, where runners will set out on a journey that weaves through the heart of Manila’s historic landscapes. Runners will dash past the National Museum, and take strides around the Manila City Hall, pace through the storied gates of Fort Santiago, immerse in the cultural tapestry of Chinatown in Binondo, and finally race along the scenic Manila Bay strip.The City of Manila is very much excited about the upcoming event and the Manila City Government is preparing for the said event and everything that the ASICS Rock 'n' Roll organizers needed will be provided. The Manila City Government is also very much thankful for once again they chose Manila as a venue for the said event and this serves also as an instrument to promote the many beautiful as well as historical places in Manila.“Nagpapasalamat po ang CIty Manila on behalf po on our beloved Mayora Honey Lacuña… at nagpapasalamat po kami sa Sunrise Inc. at sa Rock n’ Roll na napili nila ang City of Manila na talagang nakikita ang City of Manila at nakikita ng taga Manileño especially sa ibang bansa at sa buong Pilipinas at nagagamit nila ang City of Manila para sa ganitong event lalong lalo na ang Rock n’ Roll na ito…” said Ruel De Guzman, Director of Manila Sports Council. Because of this Rock 'n' Roll Running Series, the wonder and beauty of Manila is appreciated not just in the country but also it can attract by foreign nationalities. The ASICS Rock 'n' Roll Running Series will debut again on the midnight of Nov. 24. In honor and respect to the hero of  Manila which is Gat Andres Bonifacio. Prior to the main event, the Rock 'n' Roll Running Series will spearhead the 21km, 10 km and 5km event on October 20 in the province of Cavite, interested fellows may register thru their website: https://www.runrocknroll.com/manila

Two-time Olympian and pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena insisted that the Philippines should not wait until the end of his career to find his heir apparent.Returning to top form is still the top priority, but Obiena is pouring his time and efforts by advocating for increased interest in his sport, aiming to share his expertise to children who want to follow in his footsteps.With the positive response of Filipino youth in sports especially after the Paris Olympics, the world No. 3 pole vaulter said the nation’s sports authorities responsible for grassroots developments should take advantage of this and make its move to make sports accessible.

Alas Pilipinas Men braces for tough challenges as they face strong adversaries in Pool A of the 2025 Fédération Internationale de Volleyball, or FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship.Host Philippines was grouped with Iran, Egypt, and Tunisia in the first round of the world championship following the culmination of the drawing lots on Saturday, September 14, at Solaire Grand Ballroom in Parañaque City.Italian coach Angiolino Frigoni recognized the big responsibility and big challenge for the No. 64 Alas Pilipinas in the international championship scheduled for next year.

The Philippines delivered another mixed bag of results in the seventh round of the 45th FIDE in Budapest, Hungary.Woman Grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna and defending woman national champion Ruelle Canino snared a ticket back to the medal race after pacing the Filipina team for a 2.5-1.5 upset over the fancied 26th-seeded Argentina. Frayna outlasted Woman International Master Maria Jose Campos with Catalan’s Defense English opening in 62 moves, while Canino defeated WGM Claudia Amura in 39 moves of a King’s English Variation of the English Opening.WIM Jan Jodilyn Fronda finished an 80-move draw with Anapaola Borda Rodas, while Woman Fide Master committed an error in a 46-move match against WGM Candela Francisco.The Filipina woodpushers ascended back to 22nd spot of the 183-nation event.Grandmaster Julio Catalino Sadorra, meanwhile, forced a draw with super Grandmaster Ante Brkic in 31 moves of Ruy López: Morphy Defense.Sadorra’s draw prevented the men’s team from being swept by the 27th seed Croatia after International Master Paulo Bersamin and Grandmasters Daniel Quizon and John Paul Gomez bowing out to their Croatian rivals. Newly minted GM Quizon fell to GM Sasa Martinovic in 46 moves, while Gomez faltered to Hrvoje Stevic and Bersamina was shut in 60 moves.The Filipino team slipped to 49th place among 197 teams going into the last four rounds of the competition. 

University of the East pulled off a shocker when they defeated the defending champion, De La Salle Green Archers, 75-71, in the UAAP’s 87th Season at the Mall of Asia Arena.The Red Warriors also gave La Salle its first loss of the season in front of the 6,946 spectators inside the arena who also witnessed them shoot an astonishing 12-of-30 from downtown.John Abate led the Recto side with a career game of 20 points while firing a perfect 3-of-3 from the arc, also grabbing four boards, and sinking two-pressure packed free throws with 3.4 seconds left to complete the upset.Wello Lingolingo had 18 points built on six triples, Gjerard Wilson contributed 10 points, three rebounds, three steals, and two assists, and Precious Momowei produced only five markers but hauled 12 boards.

Stefanie Fejes and Jana Milutinovic of Australia will return to the country to defend their titles as Alas Pilipinas competes for podium spots in the 2024 Asian Senior Beach Volleyball Championships, which will begin on November 5 at the Nuvali Sand Courts in the City of Santa Rosa, Laguna.Together with 19 other women’s tandems, the Australian duo, who won the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Beach Tour Nuvali Open in April, has confirmed their attendance at the six-day competition sponsored by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation or PNVF.