Chezka Centeno continued to carry the fight for the Philippines after defeating Mayte Romero of Spain on Tuesday, September 3, in the World Pool Association or WPA World 9-Ball Women’s Championship held in Hamilton, New Zealand. The World Junior 9-Ball champion will vie for a place in the knockout round when she faces off Yuki Hiraguchi of Japan.Meanwhile, veteran Rubilen Amit launched her 9-Ball Women’s Championship in grand fashion after overwhelming Canada’s Veronique Menard with a 4-1, 4-0 victory in the race to 4 best of three sets preliminary stage.Amit’s win arranged her a match up against Chinese Taipe’s Chen Chia Hua, who earned a first-match bye. But the 9-Ball crown remained elusive for the two-time World 10-Ball champion as she dropped the second game with Hua, 1-2, via shootout.She will meet Gemma Schumann of Australia on the loser’s side.The lone Filipino entry, Carlo Biado, on the other hand, opened his first match with a loss against Jui-an Ryan Hsu of Chinese Taipei, 6-8. He tried to revive his chance by trouncing Kenko Suzuki of Japan when he was relegated in the loser’s bracket but eventually succumbed to Chinese Gao Zhankui, 7-8, to end his World 10-Ball crown bid. 

The Philippine men’s football team opened its Merdeka Cup campaign with a loss, 1-2, against host country Malaysia on Wednesday night, September 4, at the Bukit Jalil Stadium in Kuala Lumpur.Jefferson Tabinas scored the nation’s first goal on its comeback appearance in the Merdeka meet since 1972. The goal gave the Philippines an early 1-0 lead but Harimau Malaya didn’t stay idle for too long as the Malaysians tied the score after a straight-away shot from Mohammad Syamer Bin Kutty Abba just outside the box in the 43rd minute.A yellow card sanctioned against new comer Matthew Baldisimo after tackling Aiman Hanapi inside the box resulted in a penalty kick in favor of Malaysia at the 73rd minute. With Safawi bin Rashid’s penalty kick landing a goal, the Malaysians successfully triumphed against the Filipino booters to achieve their first lead of the game, 2-1.The Philippines is now relegated for a third place match and will battle Tajikistan on Sunday, September 8. 

The TNT Tropang Giga claimed a share of leading the Group A after overpowering the still winless Terrafirma Dyip, 107-89 in their match last night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.Rondae Hollis-Jefferson just shook off a nagging ankle injury to lead TNT in their win as he registered 26 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, and two blocks.

Rain or Shine Elasto Painters wanted to redeem themselves after failing to sweep the first round of the elimination round when they were defeated by June Mar Fajardo’s buzzer-beating jumper in their last game.The Elasto Painters will face the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters, which seek their first win of the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup when they meet on Tuesday, 5pm of September 9 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.Should ROS get the dub, they will have a solid hold of the lead in Group B when they recorded a 5-1 in the standings, and will be one victory ahead of coach Yeng Guaio’s target to be able to secure a spot in the crossover quarterfinal round.However, Guiao is cautious of the struggling Fuel Masters that will rely on the capabilities of their new import Brandone Francis, who averaged 39 points, 8.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists in his first two games in the league.

The Creamline Cool Smashers extended their record as champions after bagging their 10th overall title and became the first Premier Volleyball League (PVL) team to win three conferences in one season. The untouchable Creamline conquered the gutsy Cignal HD Spikers in a five-set thriller, 21-25, 25-17, 20-25, 26-24, 15-13, to clinch the Invitational Conference crown at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Thursday, September 12.Creamline made history as they also won the All-Filipino Conference earlier this year and the Reinforced Conference just a week ago, completing a historic grand slam. The Cool Smashers rallied behind the efforts of Best Outside Hitter awardee and American import Erica Staunton who fired 29 points coming from 26 attacks, while Reinforced Conference double MVP Bernadeth Pons led the locals with 27 markers anchored on 24 attacks and two aces, also tallying 16 excellent receptions and 13 excellent digs.

The San Miguel Beermen never looked back after their fiery start to contain their lead until the very end against Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings, 131-82 on Sunday night at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.In the first quarter of play, Marcio Lassiter already made history by draining four triples that made him the all-time league leader in three-pointers made by tallying his 1,252nd career threes. He surpassed Jimmy Alapag’s record of 1,250 when the Beermen raced to an early 37-13.Lassiter finished with 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting from downtown to be awarded as the Best Player of the game and tallied a new three-point record of 1,254. The game ball used in the historic feat was awarded by Commissioner Willie Marcial during half. Lassiter was joined on center stage by wife and five children.SMB also made history as they recorded a franchise-high 49-point lead at the end of game.The dominating win also gave them the ticket to the quarterfinals as they already reached six wins.Eight-time MVP June Mar Fajardo made another monstrous double-double performance to back-up Lassiter. JMF scored 24 points, including a triple in the first quarter, and grabbed 17 rebounds.CJ Perez added 22 markers, while Terrence Romeo, import Jordan Adams, and Don Trollano combined for 37 points in helping the team deal Barangay Ginebra its biggest losing margin in franchise history.Rookie RJ Abbarientos led Ginebra in scoring with 19 points and Justin Brownlee helped by producing 16 quiet points, 11 rebounds, and six assists.The Gin Kings now have a 5-3 record and their four-game win streak has come to an end already in a game where coach Tim Cone suffered his biggest losing margin as a PBA coach.Ginebra’s next assignment will be Phoenix on September 18, 7:30 PM at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium while the Beermen will face the Elasto Painters on September 19, same time at the same venue.

TNT solidified their hold as the top team in Group A of the PBA 49th Season Governors’ Cup after defeating Magnolia in the second round of eliminations with an 84-82 decision on Tuesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.Rondae Hollis-Jefferson led the Tropang Giga with his monstrous performance. He produced 29 points alongside his career-high 25 rebounds.It was a bounce-back game for RHJ as he missed a double-double performance for the first time in his PBA career. In their last game against Meralco he still produced 22 points and nine assists, one shy away of his usual double-figures in either boards or dimes.Hollis-Jefferson said he came to the game prepared and made an effort to step-up as TNT was shorthanded in personnel as Rey Nambatac and Kim Aurin were out due to injuries.

After an embarrassing 49-point beating from SMB, Barangay Ginebra bounced back big through a boost by RJ Abarrientos to deliver a 112-96 victory against Phoenix on Wednesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.Abarrientos produced a career-high 24 points highlighted by a four-pointer and three triples, together with five rebounds and five assists to lead the Gin Kings in clinching a quarterfinals berth.Japeth Aguilar joined the fray by firing 21 points, while Scottie Thompson added 20. Justin Brownlee and Maverick Ahanmisi contributed 13 and 12, respectively to balance the scoring for the crowd-favorite team.Ginebra now has a 6-3 win-loss record, half-game behind the joint leader San Miguel and Rain or Shine which both 6-2 slates.

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 Filipina woodpushers made a historic mark for the Philippines after winning the gold medal in Group B and finishing 24th overall in the 45th FIDE Chess Olympiad women’s division in Budapest, Hungary. The Philippine women’s team wrapped up their campaign with Shania Mae Mendoza, Janelle Mae Frayna, Jan Jodilyn Fronda, and Ruelle Canino succeeding across all boards to grasp a 4-0 victory against the Brazilians in their final assignment.The Filipinas tied for 22nd place with 14 match points along with 14 other countries and 24th overall after tiebreaks were applied, clinching the first gold for the country in an Olympiad since 2006 Turin edition when the Philippine women’s squad of Sheerie Joey Lomibao, Catherine Pereña, Sherily Cua, and Beverly Mendoza ruled Group C. It was also the best finish since the team of Girme Fontanilla, Mila Emperado, and Ma. Cristina Santos-Fidaer placed 22nd overall in the 1988 edition in Thessaloniki, Greece.

Joe Devance is coming out of retirement to mark his PBA comeback for the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel ahead of their 2024 PBA Governors’ Cup quarterfinals opening game against Meralco on Thursday, September 26.The 42-year-old Devance announced the development on his Instagram account after posting a copy of the PBA memo on Tuesday, September 23.

San Miguel took Game 1 of their best-of-five quarter finals series against Converge FiberXers, 102-95 on Thursday night, September 26, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.Beermen new import EJ Asonike, in lieu of the injured Jordan Adams, showed a decent debut performance by producing 28 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists.

Rain or Shine takes Game 3 in a thrilling overtime game against Magnolia, 111-106, on Sunday night, September 29, at the Ynares Center, Antipolo City.Jhonard Clarito was named the Best Player of the Game after scoring 18 points and grabbing eight rebounds. He was supported by Gian Mamuyac and Andrei Caracut who scored 15 apiece for the Elasto Painters.

Barangay Ginebra swept rival Meralco Bolts, 113-106, in their best-of-five quarter finals series last night, September 30, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium to get the first ticket to the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup semi final round.Justin Brownlee led the Gin Kings in scoring by producing 23 points including two booming four-pointers that started their ‘never-say-die’ comeback after being down as much as 12 points.Stephen Holt, who was named Best Player of the Game, together with RJ Abarrientos and Maverick Ahanmsi helped Brownlee in their fightback as they also delivered from the two rainbow countries.Holt had a total of 19 markers which include a triple that gave the Gin Kings their largest lead at 105-98 with 2:36 left in the game.Abarrientos produced 17 points, while Ahanmisi contributed the same numbers including three 3-pointers.

Cignal overcame a second frame deficit to win the next two, 25-19, 20-25, 25-18, 25-21, against Chery Tiggo in the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference at the FilOil EcoOil Centre on Thursday, November 21.Fueled by their excellent patience and strong floor defense, the HD Spikers outperformed the Crossovers in a battle of spurts to stay undefeated in two games and tied Akari and PLDT for first place on the leaderboard."Happy because the team performed well but we know that is still not what we want to happen. The good thing is, while we encountered that situation, we were able to recover," said Cignal head coach Shaq Delos Santos.

The Choco Mucho Flying Titans had a tough game win against the Farm Fresh Foxies on Thursday evening to wrap up the year with an important win in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.Choco Mucho squandered a two-set advantage but rediscovered their touch in the final frame to pull off a tough 25-20, 25-21, 21-25, 25-27, 15-12. Sisi Rondina was the catalyst of their breakaway in the fifth set, as the explosive spiker fired back-to-back hits that gave the Flying Titans a 13-8 advantage. The former league MVP dropped 26 points,13 digs and 13 receptions.Kat Tolentino added 18 on 10 attacks, a whopping six blocks, and two aces, while Cherry Nunag finished with 10 points and playmaker Mars Alba was credited with 25 excellent sets.

The PLDT High Speed Hitters showcased grit and determination but ultimately fell short against Thailand’s Nakhon Ratchasima Volleyball Club in a thrilling five-set match, 24-26, 20-25, 25-20, 25-20, 9-15, in the 2025 AVC Women’s Champions League on Tuesday, April 22, at the Philsports Arena.After falling behind two sets to none, the High Speed Hitters mounted an impressive comeback, winning the third and fourth sets behind the efforts of Savi Davison and Cuban import Wilma Salas. Davison spearheaded the third-set resurgence, while Salas provided crucial support in the fourth to force a deciding set.PLDT appeared poised for a breakthrough in the fifth set, pulling even at 8-all. However, a center line fault swung the momentum back to the Thai side, sparking a decisive 7-1 run from Nakhon Ratchasima that sealed the match. The rally was capped by a service ace, ending PLDT’s spirited challenge.

American transgender women will no longer be able to compete in women’s events at the Olympics and Paralympics, following a policy update by the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC).Effective last July 21, 2025, the USOPC updated its Athlete Safety Policy to align with United States President Donald Trump’s “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” executive order. The new guidelines, detailed on the USOPC website under “Additional Requirements,” state the committee’s commitment to ensuring fair and safe competition for women athletes.“The USOPC will continue to collaborate with stakeholders to ensure women have a fair and safe competition environment consistent with Executive Order 14201 (Trump’s order) and the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act,” the statement reads. The Stevens Act, enacted in 1988, governs eligibility disputes for Olympic and amateur sports.A memo sent Tuesday to Team USA athletes from USOPC chief executive Sarah Hirshland and president Gene Sykes referenced the executive order, noting the committee’s obligation to comply with federal laws. Trump’s order threatens to withhold federal funding from schools or institutions that allow transgender girls to participate on girls’ teams, citing potential Title IX violations.The order also mandates immediate enforcement of single-sex sports and locker rooms for women, reinforcing the new USOPC policy.

Japanese mixed martial artist Ayaka Miura is determined to make history when she challenges Filipina champion Denice Zamboanga for the ONE Atomweight MMA World Title at ONE 173: Superbon vs. Noiri on November 16 at Ariake Arena in Tokyo.Fighting on home soil, Miura—known as “Zombie”—expressed her excitement and sense of purpose. “I’m truly happy to fight for a world title here in Japan, where I was born and raised. I believe there’s meaning behind being given this opportunity. I will become the first Japanese woman to win a ONE Championship belt, and I’ll do it right here in Japan,” she said.Riding a five-match winning streak, with four first-round submissions, Miura is eager to seize this moment. “I wasn’t able to get the strawweight title before, but this time, I’ll get what I left behind. I’ll prove the strength of Japanese fighters by winning the belt on home soil.”Miura acknowledged the challenge Zamboanga presents. “At first, I thought she was mainly a grappler, but her striking has really improved. Now I see her as a complete all-rounder, physically very strong. I believe Zamboanga will come in with a solid ground defense strategy and try to turn it into a striking battle. Whether it’s on the feet or on the ground—even if the fight gets messy—I’ll do whatever it takes to win.”Zamboanga, on a four-fight winning streak herself, will look to defend her title as the card kicks off a night featuring four championship bouts. Also on the card, Filipino Joshua Pacio aims for the flyweight MMA world title against Japan’s Yuya Wakamatsu, while Oumar Kane meets Anatoly Malykhin for the heavyweight crown and Superbon faces Masaaki Noiri to unify the featherweight kickboxing championship.

Filipina golfers Bianca Pagdanganan and Dottie Ardina turned in strong performances at the Standard Portland Classic, finishing tied for 35th and 38th, respectively, on Sunday, August 17.Pagdanganan endured a roller-coaster final round with a one-under 71, highlighted by an eagle, three birdies, two bogeys, and a double bogey. She closed at eight-under 280—her fourth made cut of the season.Ardina saved her best for last, firing a flawless, bogey-free 67 to finish one shot behind Pagdanganan at seven-under 281. The performance also marked her first made cut of the 2025 season.Despite their solid efforts, both Filipinas finished well behind Japanese rookie Akie Iwai, who dominated with a 24-under 264 total. Iwai capped her week with a sizzling eight-under 64 to win by four shots over American Gurleen Kaur (268).For Pagdanganan and Ardina, the Portland Classic served as a promising step forward as they continued to chase higher finishes and greater consistency on the LPGA Tour.