Cuban Greco-Roman wrestler Mijain Lopez Nuñez bagged his fifth consecutive gold medal at the men’s 130kg event after defeating Yasmani Fernandez of Chile.Lopez became the first Olympic athlete to win gold in the same event at five consecutive games. He’s also the first wrestler to win five golds.After the match, Lopez symbolically retired by placing his shoes at the center of the mat.

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.

The Creamline Cool Smashers cruised past the Nxled Chameleons in straight sets to end their Pool A campaign on a winning note at the 2024 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Reinforced Conference at the PhilSports Arena on Thursday, August 8.The Cool Smashers continued their dominant play, capping off their round one schedule with a 25-18, 25-18, 25-20 victory over the Chameleons.In the absence of Alyssa Valdez, Tots Carlos, and Jema Galanza, Creamline banked on the trio of American import Erica Staunton, Bernadeth Pons, and Michele Gumabao to bemused Nxled and improve to a 4-1 record.

Coming off a loss to Chery Tiggo last time, PLDT redeemed itself by blanking Farm Fresh to end its Premier League Volleyball (PVL) Reinforced Conference first round duties on a high note at PhilSports Arena on Thursday, August 8.The PLDT High Speed Hitters ended their Pool A run with a sweeping victory against the Farm Fresh Foxies, 25-20, 25-23, 25-23.The High Speed Hitters relied on Russian import Elena Samoilenko who finished with 22 points, supplemented by nine excellent receptions. Fiona Ceballos provided backup on offense and defense with 11 markers, 10 digs, and nine receptions, while veteran playmaker Kim Fajardo made 12 excellent sets and contributed on offense with three points. Mika Reyes also added eight points, half of which coming from blocks.

After falling short of a podium finish in the 2024 Paris Olympics, Ernest John “EJ” Obiena is now looking to inspire future generations by putting a spotlight on his sport when he comes home to the Philippines.Obiena aims to stage a pole vault competition at the Ayala Triangle Gardens on September 20, featuring some of the competitors from the Paris Games.Fresh from a fourth-place finish in the Olympics, Obiena said he can now dedicate more time planning the event, which is already sanctioned by the World Athletics.

After two years of waiting, the No. 2 overall pick in the Season 49 rookie draft Sedrick Barefield is now ready to take his act to the Philippine Basketball Association.Barefield said that he is blessed to finally get going in Asia's first-ever play-for-pay league where he is expected to play a major role in Blackwater’s campaign in the 49th Season Governor’s Cup.He also credited the Bossing head coach Jeffrey Cariaso and his wards for making the transition smooth for him.

As Paris concluded the spectacle that brought together 206 nations represented by 10,714 athletes excelling in their respective fields, the Philippines’ top sport officials are expected to gather together to discuss the mishaps that came into sight towards the end of the country’s campaign in the Paris Olympics in an effort to make sure the national sporting program doesn’t deviate from its next goal: the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.According to sources within Team Philippines, several officials, including high-ranking officers from two affected national sports associations, will make an effort to sort through the problems that afflicted the golf and weightlifting squads days before the closing of the Summer Games at the French capital. One of the issues that plagued Team Philippines is the “toxic environment” that weightlifter Vanessa Sarno blamed after she logged three failed lifts in the snatch category of the women’s 71kg competition and bowed out of the podium race swiftly.

Filipino Olympian and pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena received his Php 500,000 worth of cash incentive from the City of Manila.Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna handed the incentive to Obiena on Wednesday, August 15, for his stellar performance and for placing fourth in the men’s pole vault finals in the recently concluded 2024 Paris Olympics.

Three days after becoming only the second player to win back-to-back United States Golf Association (USGA) championships, Rianne Malixi soared to new heights, climbing to World No. 5 in the latest World Amateur Golf Rankings.The 17-year-old Malixi climbed seven notches from her previous 12th spot in the rankings, with an average of 1191.6600 points, after her victory in the US Women’s Amateur in Tulsa, Oklahoma over the weekend.This achievement marks the highest ranking ever reached by a Filipina golfer. 

Ateneo de Manila University’s Paolo Medina made history by winning the first-ever event title in UAAP esports in what was a thrilling basketball esports showdown against its perennial rival.Medina won in a stunning three-game series of NBA 2K24  against De La Salle University’s Kegan Yap, 2-1, at the Doreen Fernandez Black Box, Areté Ateneo, in Quezon City Thursday night. 

The Akari Chargers took down the Nxled Chameleons to remain perfect in the Premier League Volleyball (PVL) Reinforced Conference on Thursday, August 13, at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig. Akari moved just a win away from securing the top seed and sweeping the preliminary round despite an opening set loss to sister team Nxled, 21-25, 25-19, 25-17, 25-18.

Alas Pilipinas Men emerged with a historic achievement by seizing a bronze medal in the first leg of the 2024 Southeast Asian Volleyball League (SEA V.League) after losing to Thailand on Sunday, August 18, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.Despite Alas taking a three-set beating to the Thais, enduring a  26-28, 14-25, 16-25 loss, it is a first podium finish for the Philippine men’s volleyball team since finishing fourth place in their 2022 and 2023 appearance in the tournament. The Filipinos, who were missing the services of team captain and season outside hitter Bryan Bagunas, ended the opening leg at 1-2 while the Thais nabbed the gold after an unblemished record of 3-0.Indonesia, meanwhile, seized the silver after winning back-to-back golds in the 2023 edition.Noel Kampton, who filled in the shoes for the injured Bagunas, paced Alas and produced 10 points. Leo Ordiales and Michaelo Buddin each posted seven markers in the loss. Aside from the third-place finish, Buddin took home the second Best Outside Spiker award, while Kim Malabunga was named second Best Middle Blocker in the first leg.Opposite hitter Bhinijdee Napadet and middle blocker Nilsawai Kissada led the way for the Thais with 14 points apiece while Phanram Anurak chipped in 13 markers as they copped their first-ever SEA V.League title.

Defending Governors’ Champion TNT Tropang Giga started their title-defense campaign with a win when they defeated NorthPort Batang Pier 101-95 on August 19 at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.Rondae Hollis-Jefferson tallied a double-double, scoring 32 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. He even added his good game w0ith five assists, four steals and four blocks to lead the opening win of TNT in Group A.Calvin Oftana led the Tropang Giga locals in scoring by tallying 15 including 2-of-2 from the four-point line. Oftana was the first player to make two four-point shots in a single game. Meralco’s Chris Banchero was the first one to hit the 27-footer followed by his teammate Jolo Mendoza, then Paul Lee of Magnolia and fourth belongs to Calvin Oftana.TNT’s new acquisition from off-season trade, Rey Nambatac produced 13 points including two crucial free throws while Poy Erram, who returned from long layoff due to injury added eight markers.On the other hand, NorthPort’s reinforcement Taylor Johns almost tallied a triple-double by scoring 36 points, grabbing 16 boards and dishing off nine assists.Arvin Tolentino added 23 for the Batang Pier including the four-ball with 24.6 seconds left to push their team closer to TNT’s lead, 99-94.A backcourt violation of the Tropang Giga gave the Batang Pier a chance to trim the lead even further. However, TNT forced Northport to a shot clock violation that sealed the game for the defending champions.

Carlo Biado, Johann Chua, Lee Van Corteza, and three other Filipino cuemasters moved one win away from the knockout of the US Open 9-Ball Championships held in Atlantic City, New Jersey.Biado, who dominated the tournament in 2021, had a first round bye, before making an easy work of American Robert Hart, 9-1. He is set to compete with Great Britain’s Chris Melling for an automatic spot in the 64-man knockout round. Chua kept the form that earned him a runner-up finish in last week’s European Open by trouncing Vietnamese Dang Than Kien, 9-1, in the second round of the eliminations after his own opening round bye. He will next play against Liu Ri Teng of Chinese Taipei.Corteza, a runner-up in the 2013 US Open, overcame American Mike Dechaine (9-7) and Vietnam’s Nguyen Hai Dang (9-4) for a third round match against Japanese Naoyuki Oi. Other Filipinos who will vie for the slot in the knockout round are Jeffrey Roda, Jeffrey Ignacio and Michael Baoanan. Roda was equally impressive with big wins over Elias Patrkios, 9-1, and Englishman Darren Appleton, 9-2, to challenge former world No. 1 Joshua Filler of Germany.Ignacio faces Alexander Kazakis of Greece, while Boanan will meet Italian Francesco Candelo with their bids of entering the last 64.Eight more Filipinos led by Bernie Regalario and Ronald Garcia, on the other hand, are in the Losers Bracket where they need to win two more matches to advance.The US Open Championship will feature a 256-player field on the World Nineball Tour. The tournament will begin with a seeded double elimination format, featuring the top 128 World Nineball Tour players. From there, only 64 players will advance to the single elimination rounds.

Filipina tennis ace Alex Eala continued her quest for a spot in the US Open main draw as she notched a historic upset to move onto the third round of the qualifiers.World No. 148 Eala overcame No. 99 Nurua Parrizas-Diaz from Spain in straight sets, 7-5, 7-5, to keep her hopes alive. Eala now moves on to face 61st-ranked Elena-Gabriela Ruse of Romania in the third round of the qualifiers on Friday, August 23. The 19-year-old Eala aims to make it to her first Grand Slam main draw after missing the French Open and Wimbledon with stinging setbacks in the qualifying finals. 

The University of the East joins DLSU and Ateneo as the first three schools which will bag home a UAAP esports title.This, after the UE Zenith Warriors defeated University of Santo Tomas (UST)’s Teletigers Esports Club in a sweeping 2-0 victory on Wednesday at Hyundai Hall, Arete Ateneo in Quezon City. That wrapped up the league's inaugural Esports tournament, where Ateneo earlier ruled the NBA2K24 while De La Salle topped VALORANT.Despite a rocky start in the group stages, UE’s playing coach, Arohn Jen Cabigting, expressed confidence, especially during the championship match.

Filipina athlete Islay Erika Bomogao has claimed the top spot in the 45kg elite category of the International Federation of Muaythai Associations.Following her gold-medal victory at last year’s IFMA World Muaythai Championship in Bangkok, Thailand, Bomogao, soared to No. 1 position with a cumulative 1,920 points, amassed from her performances in various international competitions.

Filipino Olympian and pole vault star Ernest John “EJ” Obiena abruptly drew the curtains on his 2024 campaign to avoid aggravating the spine injury that has pestered him for months.Obiena, currently the third-ranked pole vaulter in the world, announced the development on Wednesday in his social media accounts, explaining that he will miss the Internationale Stadionfest or ISTAF Berlin in Germany, Weltklasse Zurich in Switzerland, and the Diamond League Final in Belgium in September after being diagnosed with a fractured L5 vertebra.