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Philippine Sportswriters Association, Manila (2025)

03/07/2025

GOLDEN boy Carlos Yulo returned to action with a bang, and tennis breakout star Alex Eala continued her history-making run as they spearheaded a stellar outing for Philippine bets in June.

Ten months after his unprecedented double-gold feat in the Paris Olympics, Yulo took his act to the Asian Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Jecheon, South Korea and won his fourth straight title in his pet event, the floor exercise, with a winning of 14.600 points.

The 25-year-old dynamo from Leveriza Manila, who was champ in floor and vault in the 2024 Olympiad, complemented his Asian four-peat in the floor with bronze medals in the individual all-around (83.633), vault (14.333) and parallel bars (14.166).

On the rise since her upset binge and semifinal showing in the WTA 1000 Miami Open last March, 20-year-old Eala reached new heights in the WTA 250 Lexus Eastbourne Open in Great Britain.

Notching six victories from the qualifying to the main draw capped by a 7-5, 2-6, 6-3 dispatching of Frenchwoman Varvara Andreyevna Gracheva in the semifinals, Eala barged into the championship round.

This made her the first Filipina to ever reach this stage in a WTA competition while lifting her to a new career high ranking of 56th. But in the end, Eala settled for runner-up honors after yielding a 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (10) loss to Australian Maya Joint.

The two young guns headlined the honorees in the Philippine Sportswriters Association’s monthly citation of achievers for the sixth month of 2025.

Joining them in the honor roll were aces from individual and team sports, both up-and-coming and experienced.

Four-division boxing titlist Nonito Donaire Jr made his successful ring comeback at age 42, scoring a unanimous technical decision over Chile’s Andres Campos in Argentina to clinch the World Boxing Association interim bantamweight crown.

FIDE Master Alekhine Nouri, 19, ruled the rapid event and placed second in the blitz in the Asian Juniors Chess Championships in Waskaduwa, Sri Lanka, where John Jerish Velarde also got a podium finish in the rapid section.

The Philippine Canoe Kayak Dragonboat Federation team paddled to six golds, one silver and one bronze in the International Canoe Federation (ICF) Dragon Boat World Cup in Inner Mongolia, China.

It was a historic time for the country’s female ice hockey squad and Alas Pilipinas Women, too.

The Pinays completed a five-game sweep of the IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s Asia Cup in Al-ain, United Arab Emirates, capped by a huge 4-2 win over holder Iran en route to their first-ever gold in the tournament.

The Alas belles, for their part, captured the silver in the AVC Women’s Volleyball Nations Cup in Hanoi behind host Vietnam, surpassing last year’s bronze haul and resetting their best finish in the annual competition.

Gilas Pilipinas Women 3x3 Youth stalwarts Kacey Dela Rosa, Kristine Cayabyab, Cheska Apag and Cielo Pagdulagan ruled the six-stop FIBA 3x3 Youth Nations League-Asia Pacific in Doha, Qatar to secure their ticket to the FIBA 3x3 U23 World Cup 2025 in Xiong An, China in September.

01/07/2025

THE popular and extremely challenging sport of climbing can now reach a wider audience in the country with the formation of Pilipinas Climbing Inc. (PCI) headed by obstacle racing pioneer Atty. Al Agra.

The PCI, according to Agra, is already recognized by the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFCP), and is in the process of seeking regular membership in the Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine Sports Commission.

Agra said the PCI is off to a fast start as far as organization and competition is concerned. In fact, a team carrying the national colors is leaving for Malaysia on Thursday to compete in the Asean Sport Climbing Championships where six gold medals are at stake.

“We look forward to competing and winning the gold and not just showing up,” Agra told the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum Tuesday at the conference hall of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

Up next for the young association is another competition in Singapore and then the SEA Games in Thailand in December. Sport climbing is also included in the Asian Games and the Olympics.

“We can be world class in this sport,” said PCI chairman Franz Lim, who was also joined by auditor Ina Pahati, coach Miel Pahati, athletes Yca Dizon and John Veloria, and Agra in the forum presented by San Miguel Corporation, PSC, Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, Smart/PLDT, and the country’s 24/7 sports app ArenaPlus.

“We want to promote the sport for everyone, including Para athletes. This is for everyone. The main challenge is sustainability, that’s why I hope the POC accepts us as member and then the PSC for funding,” said Agra, adding that currently, there are 20 climbing gyms in the country.

Competitive sport climbing is performed on artificial structures, and is divided into three events: speed (racing side by side aiming to get to the top of 15-meter walls); lead (climbing walls as high as possible on a limited time); and bouldering (climbing short and challenging routes known as ‘problems’).

01/07/2025

IN his first official function as chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission, Patrick “Pato” Gregorio vowed to give his best, wanting only one thing in return: More gold medals for the country.

“Walang dead end sa pangarap. And ang pangarap natin eh mas maraming ginto and service to the 110 million Filipinos,” said Gregorio in Tuesday’s Philippine Sports Association (PSA) Forum at the packed conference hall of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

Gregorio made his first appearance at the weekly sports forum after the official turnover of the PSC flag with outgoing chairman Richard Bachmann, who served the government sports agency since December of 2022.

Gregorio’s appointment papers from Malacanang was released the other day.

“Am I excited? Yes. Am I happy? Yes. It’s very difficult to say no to the Republic of the Philippines. Hindi madali itong gagampanan nating role para sa Philippine sports and sa taong bayan,” said Gregorio.

But the corporate man who’s had a vast experience helping out basketball, boxing, rowing and Philippine sports in general said with the help of the major stakeholders in sports, it can be done.

“I feel grateful and privileged for the chance to rise to the occasion. I am your lucky 13th chairman of the PSC. Don’t expect anything less,” he said in the forum presented by San Miguel Corporation, PSC, Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, Smart/PLDT, and the country’s 24/7 sports app ArenaPlus.

Foremost, Gregorio said he wants the PSC under his watch to enable and inspire the national athletes; provide a strong link between sports and economic development; and promote a healthy citizenry.

He also wished that the country could sustain the tremendous achievements of the national athletes in the international arena, leading to three gold medals (one by weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz and two by gymnast Carlos Yulo) in the last two Olympics.

But he said non-Olympic sports should also get the same attention and support from the government funding arm in sports.

“Parang laging may tug-of-war sa Olympic sports and non-Olympic sports. Non-Olympic sports are equally important,” said Gregorio, who mentioned the idea of putting up a foundation to cater for Philippine sports as a whole.

“A foundation para continuous funding hindi lang kapag nananalo. Then all those in the private sector who want to help can come together,” said Gregorio, who plans to sit down with all the NSAs and even the athletes soon.

“In the next two years, I promise you I will do my best. That’s what I told the PSC employees. Pero hindi pwedeng ako lang ang pagod. And If we perform well, pati ang taong bayan papalakpakan tayo,” he said.

On the relationship between the PSC and Philippine Olympic Committee, Gregorio had a short answer.

“Automatic. Matic ‘yan,” he said.

01/07/2025

Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum with new Philippine Sports Commission chairman Pato Gregorio

01/07/2025

Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum with Pilipinas Climbing Inc.

30/06/2025

THE Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum gets the privilege to have newly-appointed Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Patrick Gregorio as special guest in its weekly session on Tuesday, July 1, at the conference hall of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

The guest appearance will be the first for Gregorio, president of the Philippine Rowing Association and former chairman of the PBA Board, who was named as the new head of the government sports agency over the weekend.

His formal appointment was issued by Malacanang on Monday.

Making up the first part of the session that starts at 10:30 a.m. is the newly-formed Pilipinas Climbing Inc.

PCI President Atty. Al Agra will represent the group in the public sports program along with Chairman of the Board Franz Lim, auditor Ina Pahati, head coach Miel Pahati, and national team members John Joseph Veloria and Glory Ann Carmel ‘Yca’ Dizon.

The Forum is presented by San Miguel Corporation, PSC, Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, Smart/PLDT, and the country’s 24/7 sports app ArenaPlus.

The session is livestreamed via the PSA page fb.com/PhilippineSportswritersAssociation, and also aired on a delayed basis over Radyo Pilipinas 2 and shared on its official page Radyo Pilipinas 2 Sports.

23/06/2025

IN observance of the Araw ng Maynila, there won’t be any Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum for June 24.

Malacanang declared Tuesday a special non-working holiday in the City of Manila in observance of its 454th founding anniversary.

The weekly public sports program will resume its session next week at the conference hall of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

17/06/2025

THE stage is set for Draft Day of the Sharks Billiards Association Season 2 on June 29 leading up to the actual competition in September.

Hadley Mariano, the SBA founder, said the coming season promises to be even better and more exciting than the previous one won by Taguig. The other teams are Quezon City, Manila, Negros Occidental and newcomer Makati.

From four teams of five players each, the coming season features five teams with six players each. They will vie in a point system round-robin format, each team facing the other teams at least three times leading up to the best-of-five finals.

“Season 1 was very successful. We were very happy. And we introduced the audience engagement where the audience can cheer even when players are taking their shots,” Mariano told the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum Tuesday at the conference hall of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

Mariano said there are three events in the tournament backed by Smart Sports, Cignal TV and MSW — the King of the Hill, a one-on-one format where after each rack a new player comes in; Doubles; and One-on-One.

“Parang hindi na siya individual. May chemistry na kailangan and mas maganda. Naging team sport siya,” added Mariano in the forum presented by San Miguel Corporation, PSC, Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, Smart/PLDT, and the country’s 24/7 app ArenaPlus.

17/06/2025

IT’S going to be a different ball game altogether Alas Pilipinas women’s volleyball team will be facing when it aims for a podium finish in this year’s Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.

Despite coming off a rousing silver medal campaign in the AVC Women’s Volleyball Nations Cup in Hanoi a few days ago, the Filipina volleybelles are still expected to have their hands full in the 33rd edition of the SEA Games this December as they battle out some of the region’s finest teams such as Vietnam, Indonesia, and the host country for the coveted gold medal.

Coach Jorge De Brito sees the four countries vying for the championship, given the way they’ve been actively competing in the region and other parts of the world, including the just concluded AVC meet where the Vietnamese beat the Filipinas for the gold, 25-15, 25-17, 25-14.

“For sure, those four teams, they keep the international standard very high,” said De Brito in the weekly Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the conference hall of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

De Brito was joined by Alas women’s team captain Jia De Guzman, Dell Palomata, and Philippine National Volleyball Federation President Ramon ‘Tats’ Suzara in the session presented by San Miguel Corporation, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, Smart/PLDT, and the country’s 24/7 sports app ArenaPlus.

Suzara pointed out the significance of having a strong showing in the SEA Games despite the tournament not carrying any points ranking in the world.

“Of course the main target for the Alas women's this year is the SEA Games which is not really in the calendar of the FIVB,” he said. “We’re working hard, and everyday we keep on improving from any learning experience in every competition.”

It’s been more than three decades since the women’s volleyball team last won the gold in the biennial meet in Singapore, while its last podium finish came in the 2005 edition held here in Manila.

De Guzman, named Best Setter in the AVC Nations Cup where Palomata was also adjudged Best Middle Blocker, along with teammate Angel Canino as Best Outside Spiker, added that in time, the Philippines can likewise reach the playing level of countries like Vietnam and Thailand.

“We just have to stick to the program, because if we do, I have no doubt that one day, we will reach that level also. Hindi naman porke nauuna sila, hindi na sila mahahabol,” said the 30-year-old Ateneo product. “They recognized that the Philippines is growing, and we have to take advantage of that fact, kasi the fact that they are saying that, it means we're starting to become a threat.”

“So Thailand, Vietnam, and even Indonesia, maaabot din natin yun as long as we stick to what we are doing now.”

De Brito is open to adding some players to the current Alas women’s roster, but stressed the need to keep together the current core of 25 players that won the silver medal in Hanoi.

“We have a core already of 25 players. And these 25 are the guys we're going to keep,” he said.

The Alas women’s team will still compete in the 2025 VTV Cup later this month in Vietnam and the Southeast Asian V. League in August in Vietnam and Thailand, respectively, prior to going to the SEA Games.

17/06/2025

Philippine Sportswriters Association PSA) Forum with Sharks Billiards Association's Hadley Mariano

17/06/2025

Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum with Alas Pilipinas

16/06/2025

THE silver medal winning Alas Pilipinas women’s team graces the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday, June 17, fresh from its inspiring campaign in the AVC Women’s Volleyball Nations Cup in Hanoi over the weekend.

Philippine National Volleyball Federation head Ramon ‘Tats’ Suzara will accompany players Jia De Guzman, Angel Canino, and Dell Palomata, along with coach Jorge De Brito at the conference hall of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex to look back and reflect on the team’s best finish in an AVC tournament in 64 years since the inception of the association in 1961.

Alas Pilipinas women bowed against three-peat powerhouse and host Vietnam in straight sets during the finals, 25-15, 25-17, 25-14.

The Forum will start at an earlier time at 10 a.m. since the women’s volleyball team will have a prior commitment later in the afternoon.

Billiards make up the other half of the public sports program presented by San Miguel Corporation, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, Smart/PLDT, and the country’s 24/7 sports app Arena Plus.

Sharks Billiards Association founder Hadley Mariano is set to discuss the coming SBA draft and its corresponding second season.

The Forum is livestreamed via the PSA page fb.com/PhilippineSportswritersAssociation, and aired on a delayed basis over Rady Pilipinas 2. It is also shared on its official page Radyo Pilipinas 2 Sports.

Philippine Sportswriters Association

03/07/2025

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