University of the Philippines reclaimed its winning ways after fending off Far Eastern University, 82-77, in the UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Women’s Basketball Tournament on Sunday, September 22, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.The win improved the Fighting Maroons’ record to a 2-2 slate, putting them tied with Ateneo de Manila University for the fourth spot in the standings.

The Philippines will host the 2024 Southeast Asian Open Short Track Speed Skating Trophy slated September 28 to 29 that will take place at the SM Skating Mall of Asia in Pasay City.About 90 skaters from 10 countries are expected to take part in the two-day skatefest, which will open for Junior F category, that range from 8 years old and below, and Senior class 19 and above or range from 6 to 24 years old.This is the country’s second time hosting the SEA event, with the primary goal of enhancing competition accessibility and promoting sport’s growth not only in the Philippines but also within Southeast Asia.The countries that will be participating include Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Korea, Mongolia, Singapore, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, and the host Philippines.

He was told “no.” So he lifted. And eventually, he lifted his way to the Olympics.Long before John Ceniza became an Olympic weightlifter, he was a young boy from Pasil, Cebu, who knew the harsh realities of poverty.Raised by his grandmother, Ceniza grew up with very little. There were times when putting food on the table meant eating rice with nothing more than soy sauce or fish sauce.As a child, he worked as an errand boy and carried wood in exchange for whatever small amount of money he could earn.For Ceniza, survival came before sports.But an unlikely moment involving his own brother would eventually change the direction of his life.Ceniza discovered weightlifting almost by accident after his brother acquired new gym equipment—but refused to let him use it.It was a simple rejection.A small “no.”But instead of walking away, Ceniza found himself even more determined to try.What began with curiosity eventually became a passion. The boy who once struggled simply to get enough food would go on to dedicate himself to one of the most demanding sports in the world.Every lift became another step away from the circumstances he was born into.Every training session became another opportunity to prove that his beginnings did not have to define his destination.And eventually, Ceniza reached the biggest stage of them all—the Olympic Games.His journey is a powerful reminder that sporting greatness does not always begin in elite facilities or with access to every advantage.Sometimes, it begins in the most unlikely places.Sometimes, it begins with poverty.Sometimes, it begins with a child simply wanting to try something he was told he couldn't do.And sometimes, one small “no” can become the motivation to keep lifting until the entire world takes notice.From Pasil, Cebu, to the Olympics, John Ceniza's journey is more than a weightlifting story.It is a story about hunger, resilience, determination—and refusing to let circumstances decide how high you can rise.He started with almost nothing. But he kept lifting until he had earned his place among the world's best.That is the kind of story Philippine sports should never stop telling.

Filipina weightlifter Elreen Ando might have finished outside of the podium but she set a pair of personal-best marks in the women’s weightlifting 59kg division at South Paris Arena 6 on Thursday, August 8 (Manila time).In her return to the Olympic stage, Ando registered a total lift of 230kg, with 100kg from the snatch and 130kg from the clean and jerk, both personal bests, to finish in sixth place among 12 competitors.The 26-year-old Ando eclipsed her previous records of clean and jerk and total lifts of 128kg and 228kg, respectively, which she achieved at the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Cup in April in Thailand.She also equaled the national snatch record of 100kg, which she set at the 2023 World Weightlifting Championships in Riyadh last September. Ando finished the Summer Games in sixth place, improving from her seventh-place finish with 222kg in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the 64kg category. Reigning world champion Luo Shifang of China smashed all of the Olympic records in the division with a 107kg snatch, 134kg clean and jerk, and 341kg total as she bested two Tokyo gold medalists. Canada’s Maude Charron took the silver with a total of 236kg, while Chinese Taipei’s Kuo Hsing-chun secured the bronze with a total of 235 kg.The Philippines' youngest Asian champion, Vanessa Sarno, will aim to end the weightlifting team’s campaign on a high note on Saturday, August 10, in the women’s 71kg category.

Scotty Hopson scored 46 points to lead Converge in defeating Terrafirma, 127-95 at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum on Tuesday, August 21.Hopson's 46-point explosion was highlighted by his 3-of-3 shooting from beyond the arc and an impressive 75-percent shooting from the field. He also added eight rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal in his statline.Alec Stockton also added 21 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the field, while Schonny Winston scored 14 and Justin Arana put up 13 for the FiberXers who posted its largest win in team history.

NLEX dug deep and drew extra mileage from its support crew to beat San Miguel in overtime, 122-108, at the Aquilino Pimentel International Convention Center in Cagayan De Oro City on Saturday night, August 31.The Road Warriors claimed their third win in four outings after relying on clutch plays from their shock troopers together with their import Myke Henry and top star Robert Bolick.Henry still delivered his usual numbers by producing 33 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks while Bolick added 20 markers including two crucial free throws that led to a four-point cushion to the last 13.8 seconds of the extra period.But the shock troopers provided the big difference in NLEX bounce back win after succumbing to Rain or Shine, 105-124, in their last outing. The Road Warriors now improved to 3-1 in the standings.Mike Miranda, more known as an enforcer, contributed 17 points and showcased his long-range shooting skills especially in the fourth quarter when hit a pair of three-pointers, including a four-ball that gave the Road Warriors a 96-93 cushion, with 2:16 left in the fourth.Jonnel Policarpo added 12 points, while Jhan Nermal produced 10 and started the OT with a clutch three-point play off a foul from Marcio Lassiter.Richie Rodger only had six points but he made his last two field goals in overtime where he had a couple of getaway layups, while Robbie Herdon chipped in 10 including a triple that led to a 110-106 advantage with 28.2 seconds remaining in the game.SMB pulled back to within two on June Mar Fajardo's undergoal stab but Bolick brought back up to four from the stripe.The Beermen tried to send it to a second OT but back-to-back misses from the four-point arc by CJ Perez and Chris Ross in the final 13.8 ticks enabled NLEX to complete what it failed to do back in regulation.The Beermen, who got 36 from Jordan Adams, 29 from Perez and 19 from Fajardo, fell to back-to-back losses after a 2-0 start.

Filipino tanker Ernie Gawilan wrapped up his third Paralympic stint as he missed out on the podium finish in the men’s 400-meter freestyle S7 finals round at the Paris La Defense Arena late Monday night, September 2 (Philippine time).A medal remained elusive for the 33-year-old para swimmer after finishing sixth place with a registered time of 5:03.18.Federico Bicelli of Italy snared the gold medal with an impressive 4:38.70 finish. Andrii Trusov of Ukraine and Inaki Basiloff of Argentina clinched the silver and bronze medal after clocking 4:40.17 and 4:40.27, respectively.Gawilan became the third Filipino athlete to exit the Paralympics after para archer Agustina Bantiloc and para taekwondo jin Allain Ganapin.With Gawilan no longer in the medal contention, the Philippine delegation in the Paralympics is now down to three — Jerrold Mangliwan, who will compete in the men’s 100-meter T52, Cendy Asusano, who will contest in the women’s javelin throw F54, and Angel Otom, who will vie for gold in the 50-meter backstroke S5 and 50-meter butterfly S5.

Filipina boxer Nesthy Petecio bared that she is determined to end the Philippines’ century-long quest for an elusive Olympic boxing gold.It was a change of heart for the two-time Olympic medalist after insinuating at the 2024 Paris Games being her final curtain call of competing in the quadrennial showpiece.Despite once again missing out on the top prize, Petecio expressed her desire to give it a try again as the Olympic fire still ignites within her.

Magnolia Hotshots new import Shabazz Muhammad sank a running shot with 8.1 seconds remaining in the game to overcome the gritty Terrafirma Dyip, 99-98, and kept them in the solo third place of Group in the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup.The two teams traded clutch baskets in the final seconds of the game.Paul Lee drained a four-pointer to give the Hotshots a two-point lead, 97-95. In the next play, Dyip’s rookie Paolo Hernandez sank a step-back triple that brought his team back with the lead, 98-97. But the last laugh belonged to Muhammad when he delivered the winning basket with 7.8 seconds left in the game.Kevin Ferrer has one last say but his desperation three was way off the mark as Terrafirma stayed winless in the conference.It was also the 19th straight win of the Magnolia against Terrafirma since July 15, 2016. The Dyip was still called Mahindra Enforcer by then while the Hotshots were named Star.

The Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters finally clinched a victory in the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup when they defeated Blackwater Bossing, 119-114 on Sunday night at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.Import Brandone Francis and veteran RR Garcia gave the lift for the Fuel masters in the end game to get their first ever victory of the season.Francis scored a team-high 23 points, including seven in the last 49 seconds of play to put an end to the run of Bossing, which had a 20-point third quarter deficit.Garcia played a vital role too by contributing 16 of his 20 total points in the final canto when Blackwater came within 98-102 with 6:42 remaining in the game.Three more Fuel Masters scored in double figures to get their important win. Jason Perkins tallied 19 markers while Ricci Rivero added 14 and rookie Kai Ballungay had 12.

Ateneo de Manila University narrowly escaped a late-game surge by archrival De La Salle University to triumph, 65-62, in the UAAP Season 87 women’s basketball tournament on Sunday, September 15, at Adamson Gym.The Lady Blue Eagles built a commanding 47-29 lead early in the third quarter anchored from dominant performances of reigning Most Valuable Player (MVP) Kacey Dela Rosa, Junize Calago, rookie Kai Oani, and Nigerian center Sarah Makanjuola.Despite ruling the period with a comfortable 51-38 cushion, a game surge in the fourth quarter helmed by Luisa San Juan ignited a comeback for the Lady Archers. 

Rubilen Amit concluded her campaign after finishing third in the 2024 World Pool Association (WPA) 9-Ball China Open in Shanghai over the weekend.Amit, who recently reigned supreme in the WPA World Women’s 9-Ball Championship, managed to reach the semifinals, seeking to add another crown in her collection, but eventually bowed out to China’s Han Yu, 9-3.The hometown bet was just too tough as the Chinese went on to win their bout and eventually claimed the win against compatriot Wang Xiaotong for a $36,000 win.Prior to her semifinals defeat, Amit prevailed over Bojana Sarac of Serbia (7-5), Silviana Lu of Indonesia (72), veteran Jasmin Ouschan of Austria (9-3), and Chihiro Kawahara of Japan (9-5) in the earlier rounds. Chezka Centeno, on the other hand, absorbed a 9-8 loss against Chieh-Yu Chou in the Round of 16. Carlos Biado and Jeffrey de Luna also withdrew from the men’s competition. 

They fought until the final drop of sweat, but the comeback story was not meant to be.Alas Pilipinas Women saw their podium dreams come to a painful halt after bowing to a resilient Kazakhstan squad in a grueling four-set thriller, 27-29, 26-24, 25-23, 25-19, in their Pool B encounter at the 20th Asian Games at the Aichi International Arena.The stinging defeat officially eliminates the Philippines from medal contention, drawing the curtains on a courageous campaign in Nagoya.A War of Nerves and MomentumThe match was a masterclass in grit, featuring high-octane rallies and dramatic momentum shifts that kept fans on the edge of their seats.Alas Pilipinas showed immense composure right out of the gate. In an extended, cardiac opening frame, the Filipinas outlasted the Kazakhs, 29-27, showcasing the trademark resilience that has defined this iteration of the national team.However, Kazakhstan refused to fold. The Central Asian powerhouse storm back in the second set, snatching a razor-thin 26-24 equalizer to turn the match into a tactical chess match.The Turning PointWith the match tied, the crucial third set became a battle of nerves. Alas Pilipinas traded heavy blows and desperation digs, but Kazakhstan's towering net defense and execution in winning time allowed them to escape with a 25-23 squeaker.Sensing blood in the water, Kazakhstan carried the momentum into the fourth frame. As fatigue began to settle in for the Filipinas, the Kazakhs unleashed a decisive closing run to wrap up the set, 25-19, and permanently shut the door on a Philippine fightback.Heads Held HighWhile the scoreboard confirmed the end of their Asian Games journey, the statistical heartbreak does little to diminish the growth of the program. Throughout the tournament, this squad put the rest of Asia on notice, proving that Philippine volleyball can stand toe-to-toe with the continent's giants.The podium finish will have to wait, but the foundation has been laid.Saludo kami sa inyo Alas Pilipinas. The journey in Nagoya ends, but the future of Philippine volleyball remains incredibly bright.

Justin Brownlee secured another championship to his accolades after Pelita Jaya reigned the 2024 Indonesia Basketball League (IBL) after subduing Satria Muda Pertamina Jakarta, 73-65, on Sunday, August 4, at the Indomilk Arena. The well-loved Gilas Pilas naturalized player and Barangay Ginebra import did not have a huge offensive night but he made his presence felt by producing 14 points, including eight in the third quarter alone, together with five rebounds. Indonesian team naturalized player Anthony Beane paced the squad with 23 markers, spiked by six triples, while former PBA import KJ McDaniels contributed 14 and seven boards.Forward Muhamad Arighi had 13 points as well, spiked by three triples, off the bench as Pelita Jaya won its second IBL title after seven years.With the crown tucked under his belt, Brownlee is expected to fly back to Manila soon to rejoin Barangay Ginebra as he looks to lead his team in the upcoming PBA Season 49, which kicks off with the Governor’s Cup. 

Team USA stormed back from a potential upset against Serbia to return to the gold medal game in the Olympics men’s basketball tournament.The Americans defeated the Serbians 95-91 at the Bercy Arena on Friday, August 9 (PH time), after bouncing back from a 17-point deficit.Stephen Curry showcased his best of the tournament by producing 36 points on 9 of 14 shooting behind the arc while LeBron James recorded his second triple double in the Olympics (first player to do it in history) by scoring 16 points, grabbing 12 boards and dishing off 10 assists.Entering the fourth period, the Serbians still have a 13-point cushion but Curry and James together with Joel Embiid and Kevin Durant showed their poise in the final canto where they went on a 14-2 run which turned an 84-77 deficit to a comfortable 91-86 lead with 1:41 remaining in the game.A three-point play from Bogdan Bogdanovic and a short stab by Nikola Jokic got Serbia to within two, the last time at 93-91 with 8.2 seconds remaining but Curry iced the game with his two free throws to finally put the Serbians away.Team USA will now have a finals rematch against host country France whom they also beat in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to win their fourth straight gold in the Summer Games.The gold medal game will be scheduled at 3:30 a.m on August 11, Sunday (PH time).On the other hand, Serbia will battle Germany for the bronze medal at 5:00 p.m on August 10, Saturday (PH time).

Filipina golfers Bianca Pagdanganan and Dottie Ardina exhibited their fighting spirit, displaying their clutch performances to end their respective campaigns in the Paris Olympics women’s individual stroke play at the Le Golf National on Saturday, August 10.Pagdanganan narrowly missed out on a historic medal for the Philippines as she finished at joint fourth with an impressive 4-under 68 in the fourth and final round. She was one stroke away from a bronze medal until China’s Janet Lin birdied in the 18th hole to seize the solo third and dash the Filipina’s medal hopes.

Just days before the opening day of the Philippine Basketball Association 49th Season, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson officially returned to the TNT Tropang Giga to defend their Governor’s Cup title.Hollis-Jefferson will replace Darius Days as TNT’s import.Rondae was the original choice of TNT as he’s the one who led them to the promised land last year. But he’s not yet available until yesterday (August 14), that's why the team tapped the services of Darius Days.In the official roster line-up of teams released last night, Rondae Hollis Jefferson is the import listed for TNT Tropang Giga.With the return of RHJ, the TNT got a big boost as he already know the system of the team and the fans will have another chance to watch the “Kobe look-alike” import.

Farm Fresh snapped Capital1’s three-game winning streak to keep its quarterfinals hopes alive in the 2024 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Reinforced Conference on Thursday, August 15, at PhilSports Arena.The Foxies bowed to Cignal and PLDT in their last two games but bounced back with a straight set, 25-17, 25-23, 25-20, victory against the Solar Spikers.

Filipina tennis star Alex Eala advanced into the main draw of the World Tennis Association or WTA 500 in Guadalajara, Mexico after disposing Samantha Murray Sharan of Great Britain on Monday, September 8.The 19-year-old Eala will now play in the Guadalajara Open Akron as she imposed her will and trounced her 36-year-old foe at the Panamerican Tennis center.Eala flexed her might as she surged to an early 3-0 lead in the first set of the final qualifying match until Sharan leveled the score at 4-all. Despite Sharan’s best efforts, the Filipina southpaw broke her in the ninth game and served out the set in the 10th.The Rafael Nadal Academy graduate raced to a compelling 5-1 lead spiked by service breaks before concluding the match in the eighth game after three deuces. The play lasted one hour and 13 minutes.This is Eala’s second win at the qualifying rounds after outclassing Fanny Stollar of Hungary, 6-1, 6-2, last Sunday, September 7.The Filipina southpaw’s win arranged a first-round meeting with world No. 45 netter, Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic on Wednesday, September 11 (Manila time).