The Philippine Sports Commission has begun the preparations for the 11th Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Friendship Games scheduled in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan on December 1 to 5.The tournament aims to foster excellence and camaraderie in sports among young people in the sub-region.PSC commissioner Walter Torres on Thursday, July 18, assured the successful production of the games, which features athletics, archery, badminton, karate, swimming, sepak takraw, pencak silat, and e-sports.City Tourism Department (CTD) chief Demetrio Alvior Jr. said representatives from BIMP-EAGA visited the country last May to discuss the friendship games, as there are specific requirements that need to be met, particularly because most of the attendees will be Muslims.One of the requirements is halal certification, which Puerto Princesa City and Palawan currently do not have. However, according to Alvior, they are already taking measures to address this issue before the friendship games.“The only challenging part for us is accommodating those coming from Muslim countries since we don’t have a large halal restaurant here. However, we already have strategies in place to address this,”said Alvior.The CTD chief also mentioned that the federation handling the event initially wanted all food to be halal and uniformly served to all Muslim delegates, regardless of the hotel they are staying.“This is a significant and somewhat delicate event, but it is also a test to see if we are serious about advancing in sports. We need to participate in these major events to identify what we still lack and what needs improvement,” he added.Puerto Princesa City will host the BIMP-EAGA Friendship Games for the second time. The first was in 2003.Brunei Darussalam’s capital Bandar Seri Begawan played host in the last edition of the games. 

When the PBA Season 49 opens on August 18, a combination of familiar and new imports will be paraded in the season-opening conference, Governor’s Cup.Among the familiar reinforcements is the six-time PBA champion and three-time best import awardee, Justin Brownlee of Brgy. Ginebra San Miguel.Brownlee brought the Gin Kings to the promised land four times in the 2016, 2017, 2019 & 2021 editions of the said conference in. He also won championships with the crowd-favorite team in the 2018 & 2022-23 Commissioner’s Cup. He went 6-0 in all those finals that made him tie the record of Sean Chambers, another import who played for Coach Tim Cone during Alaska’s reign in the 90’s.During the 2023 edition of the Governor’s Cup, JB tried to win another title for the Kings, etched a 7-0 legacy in a championship series, and immortalized himself as the PBA’s winningest import but they lost to TNT Tropang Giga in six games. TNT was led by former NBA player, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and interim Coach Jojo Lastimosa who won his first PBA title as head coach.The Ginebra’s resident import will have another chance to win his 7th ring but he has to face a mixture of familiar foes and new oppositions.In spite of the obstacles he needs to go through, Brownlee still has the edge against all of them by being the most experienced and successful. And that makes him still the standard amongst imports.

The De La Salle Lady Archers is getting its own share of basketball stars, as Gilas Girls powerhouse Princess “BJ” Villarin will suit up for the green-and-white beginning UAAP Season 87.According to a report from the Tiebreaker Times, the 5-foot-6 Gilas star has chosen to commit to DLSU, ending her high school basketball career with the NU Lady Bullpups and the NU system in general.DLSU management confirmed to Tiebreaker Times that the UAAP 3x3 and NBTC veteran will indeed make the jump from NU to DLSU.During her high school career, Villarin was part of the Lady Bullpups 3x3 program. She also suited up for national team duty, having played in the 2022 FIBA Under-16 and Under-18 Asian Championship.With Villarin’s incluision in the lineup, DLSU can find itself improving on its women’s basketball record after finishing the Final Four with a 7-7 record. She is expected to start in the upcoming Season 87 and play a full five-year term with DLSU, the Tiebreaker Times report said. (PB) 

National University added another diadem in their growing treasure chest by escaping Far Eastern University to capture a finals sweep in the Game 2 of the best-of-three series of the 2024 Shakey’s Super League (SSL) National Invitationals on Tuesday, July 16, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.Alas Pilipinas stars Bella Belen and Arah Panique carried the Lady Bulldogs’ 25-21, 23-25, 20-25, 25-19, 15-10 conquest before flying to Japan for their national team duties.Panique topscored for the reigning UAAP Season 86 champions with a game-high 27 points on 17 attacks, while Belen sustained her fine form after hammering 23 markers of 25 attacks, while Kaye Bombita added 11 points for the Lady Bulldogs.Gerzel Petallo registered 20 points as FEU’s leading scorer, while Chennie Tagaod produced 18 points in the team’s first runner-up placing.Meanwhile, College of Saint Benilde captured the bronze medal over Colegio de San Juan de Letran in a nerve-wracking five-set victory, 23-25, 25-14, 19-25, 25-20, 17-15.Rhea Densing led the charge for the Lady Blazers with 24 markers, 20 coming off attacks, while Wielyn Estoque chipped in 18 points.Gia Maquilang paced Letran with 22 points highlighted by 19 kills, Nizelle Martin scored 15, while Judiel Nitura and Royce dela Cruz chipped in 10 each.The event concluded with the awarding of attendees.Belen, the reigning UAAP Season 86 Most Valuable Player, also bagged the tournament MVP and 1st Best Outside Spiker honor.The 2nd Best Outside Spiker was awarded to Wielyn Estoque from St. Benilde. The 1st and 2nd Best Middle Blocker were given to Zamantha Nolasco (St. Benilde) and Jean Asis (FEU), respectively.Marie Nitura from Colegio de San Juan de Letran took home the Best Opposite Spiker, while Shaira Jardio was given the Best Libero title and Camilla Lamina got the Best Setter award, both players hailing from National University.

Gymnast Carlos Yulo, boxer Eumir Marcial, and rower Joanie Delgaco will open the Philippine campaign at the Paris Games on Saturday, July 27, a day after the opening ceremonies of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games by the Seine River.Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino has high hopes that this year’s delegation will match the feat of weightlifter Hidilyn Dias, who captured the country’s first gold, or surpass the silver medals of boxers Carlo Paalam and Nesty Petecio, all achieved in 2020 Tokyo Olympics.“We are looking forward to Caloy, Eumir and Joanie to give the country that strong start in Paris. They are all prepared and inspired and in high spirits,” Tolentino stated in an interview with the Philippine News Agency.Delgaco, the Philippines’ first-ever female rower to make the Games, will be the first to see action in the quadrennial meet.The 26-year-old will race in the women’s sculls heats at 3:00 p.m. (Manila time) at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium, with the hopes of entering the semifinals scheduled on July 29.Meanwhile, gymnast Yulo and boxer Marcial will have their competitions running simultaneously starting at 9:30 p.m.The 23-year-old, who placed fourth in the vault event in Tokyo, will compete in the qualification round of the men’s gymnastics individual all-around at the Bercy Arena. The finals will be set on July 31.Yulo, the 2019 floor exercise world champion and 2021 vault king, is one of the Philippine bets to win a medal. The 10-time Asian Championships gold-medalist finished fourth in vault at the Tokyo Games three years ago.Marcial, on the other hand, will box in the round of 32 in the men’s light-heavyweight division (80kg) at the North Paris Arena.The 28-year-old pride of Zamboanga City, who has a 5-0 record as a pro, bagged the middleweight bronze in Tokyo.“This team, I believe, is the most prepared in Philippine Olympic history,” Tolentino said, also expressing his gratitude to the Philippine Sports Commission for its unrelenting support of the athletes’ training.The Philippines is celebrating its 100th year of participating in Paris, which will gather 10,714 athletes from 206 nations competing in 329 events from 32 sports from July 26 to August 11.

Filipino-American gymnast Aleah Finnegan will proudly carry the Philippine colors when she makes her Olympic debut in the Paris Games.Finnegan is one of the four gymnasts who will represent the country in the Summer Games. She will join fellow Fil-Ams Emma Malabuyo and Levi Jung-Ruivivar in the women’s artistic gymnastics events while Carlos Yulo will represent the flag in the men’s division. They hope to bring the Philippines’ first Olympic medal for the sport.The LSU (Louisiana State University) legend came from a family of gymnasts. Her sister Sarah was an alternate for the US Team back in the 2012 Olympics while her other sister Hannah represented the Philippines in the 2011 Southeast Asian Games.Aleah also represented the US Team in the 2019 Pan American Games where she won a gold medal.Who is Alean Finnegan?Finnegan might have a lot of success in the gymnastics world but there were obstacles that she also faced along the way.She underwent surgery for a navicular bone injury in 2020 after the Tokyo Olympics original schedule was postponed. She eventually tried to compete for a slot in the Olympics trials but was not selected. The Fil-Am gymnast also retired from elite gymnastics in 2021, and decided to continue her career in LSU.Then, opportunities knock upon her door and it opens a lot of success for her.When she switched federations in 2022 and decided to represent the Philippines, she immediately earned success and made an impact by winning a gold medal in the team event and vault of the Southeast Asian Games held in Hanoi, Vietnam.Then in 2023, Finnegan competed in the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships where she finished 32nd in the the women’s all-around event which allowed her to be eligible for a slot to the Olympics making her the first Filipina gymnast to qualify in the Paris Games.

The 18-year-old Filipina gymnast suffered a "severe allergic reaction" while having an evening walk in the Olympic Village last Monday, July 22.Ruivivar shared on her Instagram the medical incident that happened, detailing what went down in a shocking health scare ahead of the Olympic Games Paris 2024. While doing her evening walk, the 18-year-old said she began to feel some anaphylactic reaction, and although she admitted having a tree nut allergy, she insisted she did not ingest the allergen.Levi became aware that it was anaphylaxis—a severe allergic reaction that can be traced when a person has been exposed to something allergic like peanuts or bee stings.Ruivivar quickly returned to her room and called her parents, while her roommate and fellow Olympian Aleah Finnegan went out in search of the Olympic Village emergency clinic.She had to overcome “some initial difficulties” to reach the hospital with the help of her coach, Finnegan, and other staff members. 

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."

Cebuano weightlifters Elreen Ando and John Ceniza will begin their quest for Olympic gold next week, but this early, the acting mayor of Cebu City has promised to give them a huge bonus if they win medals in Paris.Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia is committed to award Ando and Ceniza 1 million each from his personal funds if they can clinch gold medals in weightlifting.

Bianca Pagdangan and Dottie Ardina capped off the opening round of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games women’s individual stroke play in contrasting styles at the Le Golf National on Wednesday, August 7 (Manila time).Second-time Olympian Pagdanganan, who represented Philippines in Tokyo Olympics alongside Yuka Saso, started her bid with pars in the first three holes, but three costly bogeys in the fourth, fifth, and seventh holes saw her slipping in the rankings. The 26-year-old then found her rhythm and had birdies in the 12th, 15th, and 18th holes to go to an even par to end the day with 72 at joint 13th spot.Pagdanganan is currently in a logjam with defending gold medalist Nelly Korda of the United States, Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Lydia Ko of New Zealand, as well as world No. 3 Amy Yang of South Korea, keeping her medal hopes very much alive.The other Philippine bet, Ardina, earned a 4-over 76 score, tying five other golfers in the 40th spot with four bogeys and a double bogey in the front and back nine proving costly in her opening-day campaign.Meanwhile, two-time US Open champion Yuka Saso, who is now representing Japan after playing for the Philippines in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, could not overcome an early double-bogey in the 7th hole for a wretched 5-over 77 outing and is tied with the three others in the 46th spot.The second round of the event will continue on Thursday, August 8.

Filipina tennis player Alex Eala missed out on a semifinals berth of the W100 Cary tournament in North Carolina after failing to outplay second seed Renata Zarazua of Mexico early Friday morning (Philippine time).After taking the first set with ease, 6-3, Eala had a strong start in the second set, going up 4-2. However, Zarazua stormed back and won the next four games to take the match into a third set.Despite inching closer, pulling at 3-4, the 26-year-old Mexican bet kept her composure and won to punch a ticket to the semifinals.This is the second straight quarterfinal exit for the 19-year-old Asian Games bronze medalist after falling in the final eight of the W100 Landisville a few days ago. 

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.

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.

Reigning UAAP MVP Kevin Quimbao leads the De La Salle Green Archers to defeat the National University Bulldogs in their toe-to-toe battle, 78-75 in the opening game of the UAAP Season 87 at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.The Green Archers superstar scored nine of his 22 points in the clutch including the winning triple with 9.8 seconds left that basically ended the game.

Scottie Thompson stood out the best king of the night by posting 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists to exact revenge on George King and the Blackwater Bossing in their rematch at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium last night.Thompson’s triple-double led the Barangay Ginebra to a 112-98 victory over the Bossing to gain a solo second in Group with 4-2 slate.

Carl Jammes Martin now eyes a shot in one of four titles of Naoya Inoue after knocking out Anthony Salas of Mexico in his much awaited international debut.The second-round knockout victory boosted Martin’s record to 24-0 with 19 knockouts.Now, Martin is rated No. 6 by the International Boxing Federation and No. 3 by the World Boxing Organization. Just like Marlon Tapales. Martin is now back on training at the Knuckleheads Boxing Gym in Las Vegas. While in the roster of WBO, Martin now has almost a guarantee for a title shot that he may continue to emerge victorious.  Sean Gibbons, Martin’s promoter guaranteed  that he will fight again this December in a world title shot in 2025. “He will fight again in December then a world title shot in 2025,” said Gibbons. Meanwhile, Naoya “The Monster” Inoue will fight again in December and in April 2025 before he will attempt to invade the featherweight ranks in pursuit of a fifth world title in as many weight classes.

The National University Lady Bulldogs crumbled the hopes of the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigresses of retaining their crown with a 75-69 win in the UAAP Season 86 women’s basketball Finals at the Araneta Coliseum on Saturday, September 21. The Growling Tigresses made an effort to rally past NU in the third quarter with seven points, 68-61, anchored from three straight three-pointers courtesy of Karylle Sierba, Eka Soriano, and Kent Pastrana. Determined to duplicate their win in Game 3, the Tigresses hauled a 14-point deficit led by rookie Gin Relliquette, who basketed a three-pointer to make it 71-64. However, the Lady Bulldogs weathered the late comeback of the Tigresses as they recreated a 9-point separation off Cielo Pagdugagan’s layup at the 2:22 mark, 75-64, to seal NU’s victory.

While the quarterfinals cast is already complete for the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup, the game between Converge and Magnolia on September 23 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium will determine the final match-ups in the playoffs.The two teams are now tied with 5-4 slate, and the winner of their 5:00 pm game will determine which squad will be the No. 3 seed in the next round and will face Group B’s No. 2 seed, San Miguel Beermen in a best-of-five series.Meanwhile, the loser of the match will face the top-seeded Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.

University of Santo Tomas regained its winning ways, pulling away from De La Salle University with a 76-68 victory in the UAAP Season 87 women’s basketball tournament on Sunday, September 29, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.The Growling Tigresses relied on veteran Kent Patrana and Karylle Sierba as they opened the fourth period with an 11-0 run, strengthening their hold of solo second in the standings with a 4-1 record.Pastrana finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds, four steals, and three blocks, while Sierba significantly delivered 16 markers, six boards, and three assists as the Tigresses bounced back from a tough first loss to last year’s runner up National University last week.Brigette Santos also contributed with 12 points, five rebounds, and three steals but Growling Tigresses head coach Haydee Ong was not pleased with their win despite managing to force 38 turnovers and having 21 steals.