The youngest Olympian of the Philippine delegation in the Paris Games, Levi Jung-Ruivivar, assured everyone that she is now 100 percent safe and healthy after experiencing a health scare.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. 

Olympic basketball in the 2024 Paris Games has been off to a hot start, with ball clubs from different nations slugging it out for a chance to qualify for the medal rounds and call themselves the world’s best.Australia and Spain will open the men’s tournament in the Group Phase A while Group Phase B will begin with the battle between Japan and Germany to be followed by Brazil meeting the host team France in the main game.  Australia opened the Men’s Basketball tournament with a bang by defeating world’s No. 2 Spain 92-80 in the Group A phase.NBA veteran Patty Mills opened the scoring for the No. 5 ranked Aussie team by converting three free throws followed by Jock Landale three pointer to have a 6-0 lead early in the opening frame.The Boomers erected a double-digit lead in the 1st half of play but Spain refused to give up and even took the lead for a while before the Aussies put the game away during the final frame.Josh Giddey, Jock Landale and Patty Mills combine for 56 of Australia's 92 points in their Group A win.The debuting Giddey wrote himself into the record books by becoming the first player to combine 15+ points, 7+ rebounds and 7+ assist in his first game at the Olympics, putting his name alongside the legendary Drazen Petrovic who made the same feat in 1984 against Italy.

Paris Olympics organizers are now in hot water after accusations of boxers being members of the LGBTQIA+ community competing in women’s competitions have surfaced online.Algerian boxer Imane Khalif, who is biologically female, won against her Italian opponent Angela Carini in the women’s 66kg category Thursday night, Manila time. Carini abandoned her match 46 seconds into the bout, giving Khalif the win.Khelif has found herself in the middle of the storm, not just for a swift victory over Carini, but for a controversy that questioned her eligibility to compete in the women’s division as she failed a “sex test” last year.In the match, Carini was seen getting emotional after she threw in the towel just 46 seconds into the fight. The Italian with her tears flowing claimed that she could not continue anymore after being hit with powerful blows that she has never experienced before.The Algerian was previously ousted from the world championships after failing a testosterone test. She has now faced a bunch of backlash. Even the social media world has erupted because of the issue though they have been divided with their opinions. Some supported Khelif like former Arsenal star Ismael Bennacer and said that she was receiving “unjustified hatred” while others vocally criticized the Algerian like notable figures J.K. Rowling and UK’s ex-Prime Minister Liz Truss.  

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.

An Olympic boxing gold remains elusive for the Philippines as Nesthy Petecio concluded her Paris Games campaign with a bronze after a split decision loss to Poland’s Julia Szeremeta in the women’s 57kg semifinal at the Roland Garros Stadium on Thursday, August 8 (Manila time).Petecio has been favored to advance to the gold medal match but appeared to lose steam against the 20-year-old opponent as Szemereta eked out a 29-28, 29-28, 29-28, 29-28, 28-29 win.The Polish fighter, the youngest semifinalist in the women’s boxing event, fought back into contention in the second round after getting shut out in the first, using her reach to blunt Petecio’s combination.Szeremeta was the busier fighter in the third round, and while Petecio put together a flurry of punches towards the end, it was not enough to convince the judges who all scored in favor of her opponent.The stunning victory averted what could have been a showdown between Petecio and long-time rival Lin Yu-ting of Chinese Taipei in the finals.Petecio was the last fighter standing for the Philippine boxing team, which was reduced to a two-bronze output after a strong performance in the Tokyo Olympics where the squad collected two silvers and a bronze.Aira Villegas was the other bronze medalist for the boxing team this year. Eumir Marcial, a bronze winner in Tokyo, and Hergie Bacyadan lost their opening bouts while Tokyo silver medalist Carlo Paalam dropped out in the quarterfinals.Despite the loss, Petecio joined an exclusive club of Filipinos who have won multiple Olympic medals, including swimmer Teofilo Yldefonso, weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, gymnast Carlos Yulo, and became the first boxer to do so.

The Philippine Team, including the two-time gold medalist Carlos Yulo, that competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics will be back in the country on August 13. 

Filipino Olympic golfer Dottie Ardina took to social media to recall and speak up about the uniform issues and equipment during the Paris Olympics. This, after a video of her raising concerns about the lack of proper uniforms and gears for the Philippine golfers during the Olympic stage became trending and center of controversy. Ardina says that the video was posted by her mother where she aired her frustrations over the lack of proper uniforms and equipment at the Games. She alleged that their official competition shirts from the Philippine Olympic Committee did not arrive and also, the alternatives provided for them did not comply with the rules of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).“Several boxes of apparel containing competition gear were sent through courier directly to Paris. However, the French customs held the package carrying the competition gear and despite the best efforts made by the officials, the gear was not released in time,” POC said in a statement.Ardina took it upon herself to buy the required apparel for her and her teammate Bianca Pagdanganan. The golf duo ended up using their own plain shirts, and Ardina shared patches with her teammate to match their outfits as best as they could.Despite the incident, Ardina says she has no intention to cause any trouble and told her story in the hope that future athletes will get the gear they need and is required of them - on time and in the proper configurations - in the 2028 LA Olympics. 

Gilas Pilipinas Women failed to build their underdog tale in the FIBA Women’s World Cup 2026 Pre-Qualifying Tournament as Hungary roared its way to a 97-60 rout in Rwanda on Tuesday, August 20.The Filipinas were outscored by the world No. 16 in the second quarter, 28-10, to enter the half down, 51-24. Hungary later led by as many as 39 points to even its record to 1-1 while the Philippines fell to a 0-2 record.After an astounding 18-point, 21-rebound double-double performance against world No. 8 Brazil, top anchor Jack Animam was limited to six points, one rebound, and five turnovers in 23 minutes.Afril Bernardino instead took charge with 11 points, six rebounds, and four steals, while Ella Fajardo had 10. Kacey Dela Rosa added nine markers, five boards, and three rejections for Gilas Women.Meanwhile, Angela Torok paced the Hungary squad finishing a game-hig 25-point outing on a 10-of-11 clip, four assists, and three boards, while fellow wingers Debora Dubei and Reka Lelik scored 13 apiece.After a one-day break, Gilas Women will look to keep its slim hopes of advancing to the semifinals alive in their match against Senegal on Thursday, August 22.

The semifinal round of the 2024 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Reinforced Conference initially set on Thursday, August 29, has been moved to Saturday, August 31, due to a power outage at PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.The highly anticipated knockout Final Four matches, featuring unbeaten Akari facing off against No. 4 PLDT, and second-seed Cignal battling No. 3 Creamline, have been rescheduled on Saturday, August 31, at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.Due to this development, the 2024 Reinforced Conference Final will now be held on Monday, September 02, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.All tickets purchased for the original date will be automatically refunded, with the refund amount credited back to the bank, card, or e-wallet account used for the transaction.According to the league, the adverse weather conditions have led to significant damage to several Meralco power posts supplying to the PhilSports Arena, rendering the facility inoperable for the scheduled event.In a statement, the PVL sincerely apologized for any inconvenience caused by this change and expressed appreciation for the understanding and patience of all those affected.

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.

Alec Stockton, Bryan Santos, and Schonny Winston pulled out the trigger in the end game to give Converge a 107-99 win over NorthPort on Wednesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.The FiberXers led by the trio came out in a big 18-3 run late in the game to gain the victory and cut the team’s three-game slump. They are now tied with Batang Pier at fourth place in Group A with 3-4 identical records.Stockton produced 21 points including a three-point play in the dying minutes of the game, while Santos finished with 15 markers including two crucial back-to-back triples that brought them back to the game, and Winston added 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds.Converge coach Franco Atienza said that they started well at the first half of play but struggled in the third period when NorthPort tied the game at the end of it after posting a 16-point second quarter lead.

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.

Creamline prevailed in the highly anticipated rematch of last season’s conference, trouncing Akari in straight sets, 26-24, 25-17, 25-16, to secure its second consecutive victory in the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference at the Candon City Arena on Saturday, November 23.The Cool Smashers were boosted by the return of three-time MVP Tots Carlos, who made her first appearance since missing the import-laden event and Invitational Conference due to a knee injury.Creamline took a 16-10 lead in the third set thanks to a 7-2 run led by Jema Galanza and Bernadeth Pons, who each had three and two points.Bea de Leon would help the Cool Smashers gain ground, and Pau Soriano, a substitute, would kill block Faith Nisperos to complete the victory.

If Justin Brownlee were to ask, Kai Sotto has the capacity and potential to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA).This was what Brownlee said after Gilas Pilipinas’ successful matches against New Zealand and Hong Kong last Thursday and Sunday night at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.According to the three-time PBA best import, Sotto's performance level in their past games proved that he is capable of competing in the type and class of play in the NBA.Apart from that, Kai also has a big advantage in having a 7-foot-3 height, and besides this, he has the strong physique and skills of an NBA player.“Man, I've been saying, I feel like he's good enough to play in the NBA. Yeah, in my honest opinion. Of course, he's got the height, he's got the size and the skill. But he's been through so much,”  Brownlee said. The six-time champion also said that Kai Sotto has great potential to be included in the NBA because of the qualities he has seen since he recently played with him. He also said that Kai will go far if he can play in the oldest professional basketball league in the world.“For me, it's just great to see, you know, a young player like him with so much potential and just to see him start fulfilling his potential. He's got a long way to go. You know, he's only in his early 20s. So, I'm happy for his progression and I'm excited to see what the future holds for him,” Brownlee added. It can be recalled that Sotto recorded 12 points, 15 rebounds, two blocks and two assists in Gilas Pilipinas' previous match against Hong Kong, while last Thursday in their match against New Zealand, Sotto recorded 19 markers, 10 boards and seven dimes.The wins of Gilas in window 2 gave them a solid hold of the lead in Group B with 4-0 win-loss record.After sweeping the second window of the qualifiers, Gilas is now qualified for the FIBA ​​Asia Cup to be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in August next year.Meanwhile, Gilas will next face Chinese Taipei in the third window of the FIBA ​​Asia Cup Qualifiers on February 20 and Gilas against New Zealand again on February 23.

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.

The long wait is over. After receiving a green light from his doctor, Joshua “The Passion” is now cleared and ready for some training and action to face him for the third time and close the book against Jarred Brooks in ONE Strawweight MMA World Championship unification at ONE 171 on February 20, 2025.This third showdown between the two talented rivals is set to take place at the Lusail Sports Arena in Qatar where they once met and fought last March of this year.