SIBOL nets Philippines a bronze in Pokumon UNITE

eSports left to right Lance David, Robert Mempin, Ducke Leoncio, coach Albert Camp, PESO President Brian Lim, Kim Rey Salazar, Vaughn Ocio, Lawrence Gatmaitan via POC/PSC Media

SIBOL settled for a bronze medal after a, 0-2, loss to Indonesia in the semifinals of the Pokémon UNITE esports event on Sunday at the Aichi Sky Expo Hall on Sunday.

Backed by the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee, the Philippines was poised to take the opening game.

Philippines saw its huge lead got erased as Indonesia seized Kyogre in the final two minutes to mount a comeback, 312-277, in Game 1.

Sibol never regained its footing after the heartbreaking opener.

Riding on the momentum, Indonesia pulled away early, all the way to dominate Game 2, 887-204.

“Actually nung Game 1, sobrang swerte nung kalaban. If you will notice, sobrang low health nung mga kalaban. It’s just that kinapos tayo,” said Sibol Pokémon UNITE head coach Albert Camp.

Despite the semifinal loss, Camp was proud of his team, especially after securing the country’s first-ever esports medal in the Asian Games.

“Still, sobrang happy. I’m still in awe kasi first time and sobrang happy ako sa boys ko kasi nga lifetime na nilang dadalhin ‘to. Na nagdala sila ng medalya para sa bansang Pilipinas,” he said.

Sibol—bannered by Kim Rey Salazar, Michael Vaughn Ocio, Lance David and head coach Albert Camp—couldn’t sustain the momentum of a 2-0 sweep over Hong Kong in the quarterfinals against the Indonesians.

The Filipinos collapsed during the crucial Kyogre fight in both games as the Indonesians ran away with come-from-behind wins.

Laurance makes it to Asiad Women's 100m final

Philippine sprinter Jessica Laurance displayed an impressive debut at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games as she successfully reached the finals of the women's 100-meter dash at the Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium.

The 22-year-old sprinter, who traces her maternal roots to Tanay, Rizal, clocked 11.58 seconds to finish 8th in the championship heat. The finals were dominated by China's Yujie Chen, who captured the gold with a blistering new Games record of 11.06 seconds.

Despite missing the podium, Laurance was incredibly proud of her unexpected finals appearance in her first-ever Asiad representing the Philippines. Currently taking her master's in physiology at the Australian Catholic University (ACU) in Sydney, the young track star reflected on the deeper meaning of her campaign.

"It was so fun, it's my first Asian Games. I am incredibly proud to be here. Honestly, I've never thought that I'd be in this level," Laurance shared. "Representing my country has really made me connect with my family here. They have provided me opportunities, hope I've made them proud."

Her journey to the elite final wasn't without hurdles. Laurance checked in 4th during the preliminary heats with a time of 11.62 seconds, overcoming early logistical challenges outside of her control. "I think I improve every race. Yesterday in the prelims it was a bit messy because the transport was a bit chaotic. So I only got a 30-minute to warm up," she revealed.

She impressively bounced back in the semifinals, improving her time to 11.57 seconds to book her hard-earned ticket to the championship heat. "I am proud that I even made the final," Laurance added. "I was hoping for a better time, but I mean it's my first Asian Games running against the fastest of Asia. I can't be mad at myself."

With the 100m now in the books, Laurance is shifting her focus to her upcoming events: the 4x100m Mixed Relay and the 4x100m Women's Relay.

Looking ahead, she declared a bold ambition for her athletic career on the continental stage: "One day I aspire to win this competition. I do believe I can do it. I can't wait to put the Philippines on the map."

Meanwhile, in other athletics results, Filipino runners Michael del Prado and Gabriel Borado clocked times of 48.13 and 48.14 seconds, respectively, in the Men's 400m, unfortunately falling short of advancing to the final round.

Morales set to be the top cadet after PFA Rankings Tournament

Thirteen-year-old Christine May Morales continued to strengthen her standing as the country’s top cadet fencer after capturing the gold medal in the Cadet Women’s Foil event of the recently concluded 3rd Leg Cadet and Junior Championships at the historic Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Malate, Manila.

Morales, a Grade 8 student-athlete and scholar, defeated much older opponents, including her University of the East teammate Willa Liana Galvez, 15-4, in the championship bout to retain her position as the country’s leading cadet fencer in the Under-14 class.

The 13-year-old battled fellow national team member and UE teammate Yuna Samuelle Canlas in the semifinals, overcoming a tough challenge, 15-13, to book her place in the final.

Morales also defeated Yuki Togawa of Hampton Court FC, 15-7, and Regina Zenais Pascual of Republic Fencing in the preliminary rounds after receiving a first-round bye.

The victory added to Morales’ growing list of achievements on the international scene. Last month, she and Canlas faced each other in an all-Filipino final of the Cadet Women’s Foil event at the Southeast Asian Fencing Federation (SEAFF) Junior and Cadet Championships in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where Morales emerged with another title.

The Philippine delegation finished third overall in the SEAFF championships with five gold, seven silver and 13 bronze medals for a total haul of 25 medals.

“I’m very happy and excited that our team swept the podium. It was a very tough match against Yuna (Canlas) and Willa (Galvez),” said Morales.

“I thank God first for giving me strength and for the support of my family. Their cheers helped me a lot to gain the momentum I needed,” she added.

Morales said she intends to work even harder as she sets her sights on representing the Philippines in major international competitions.

“More sacrifices pa and training para po mas mapahusay ko pa yung skills ko and hopefully ma-represent ko po ang Team Philippines sa SEA Games, Asian Games and, of course, the Olympics, tulad ng mga idol ko like Ate Sam (Catantan),” she said.

Standing at 5-foot-6, Morales is already being closely watched as a promising young fencer, combining her height and developing skills with experience gained from national and international competitions.

She is expected to participate in the U-14 division of Women's Foil when the final set of MiniMe and Veterans Division matches take place later this afternoon at the PhilSports Arena.

The 3rd Leg Cadet and Junior Championships was co-presented by the Philippine Fencing Association and the Philippine Sports Commission.

Francisco just misses out on a medal in Asiad skateboard tilt

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Jericho “Kiko” Francisco Jr. may have missed the podium, but the veteran Filipino-American skateboarder walked away from the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games with something he valued just as much—a competition he genuinely enjoyed.

Francisco finished fourth in the Men’s Park Final with 84.41 points, coming just 1.62 points short of the bronze medal.

Japan’s Shiji Gunji took bronze with 86.03, while Chinese Taipei’s Ku Yong-yan won silver with 87.33. Japan’s Izuru Nagahara claimed gold with 88.96.

For Francisco, however, the final result was only part of the story.

After entering the competition with limited preparation and virtually no expectations, the 24-year-old said he was simply grateful to have enjoyed every moment on the course.

“I am beyond happy with my performance. I could not be any happier. Dude, I came into this with literally no expectations.”

Francisco revealed that he had only accumulated around 10 hours of practice, including his preparation for the Asian Games.

“I’ve put in maybe 10 hours of practice, including the practice time to prepare for this. So I was not expecting much.”

Despite the limited preparation, Francisco delivered a competitive performance in the final. More importantly, he said he was finally able to approach a major competition without the pressure and nervousness that had accompanied him throughout much of his career.

“Everything I did out there on that course was something I wanted to do, and it felt amazing.”

Francisco said that feeling was particularly meaningful after years of competing at the highest level.

“For the past 10 years, I’m always nervous and I’m always trying to do stuff I don’t want to do. And I really had a lot of free range competition. I had a lot of fun. Completely. No regrets.”

That freedom allowed Francisco to enjoy what he described as one of the most enjoyable competitions of his career.

“I had a great time. This is probably one of the most fun competitions I’ve had in the past 10 years probably.”

Francisco’s Asian Games campaign also carried a special significance because of his connection to one of the Philippines’ youngest skateboarding stars, Mazel Paris.

Francisco has been coaching skateboarding for the past four years through First Class Skate, his coaching business, and Paris was among his earliest students.

“Mazel was actually one of my second students ever, and I’ve been a professional skateboard coach for the past four years now.”

Seeing both himself and his student compete on the Asian Games stage was a moment of pride for Francisco.

“To see that we are competing at the top level of skateboarding, it’s really incredible.”

Paris went on to finish fifth in the Women’s Park Final, recording a best score of 80.65 and coming within 2.21 points of the bronze medal.

Francisco has also worked with other young Filipino skateboarders, including Elizabeth Amador, as he continues to build his role beyond his own competitive career.

His work as a coach has become an important part of his vision for the future of Philippine skateboarding.

With his Asian Games campaign now over, Francisco’s attention turns back home and toward First Class Skate.

Rather than focusing solely on his own competitive career, he wants to use his experience to help young skateboarders reach the international stage.

“Something that’s next for me is to really elevate my business back home, which is a skateboard coaching business called First Class Skate.”

His goal is to create more opportunities for young athletes to experience the same level of competition he has encountered throughout his career.

“I really want to take kids all over the world to the next level just so they can compete at this type of stage.”

Francisco’s competitive résumé gives him plenty of experience to draw from.

A two-time SEA Games gold medalist in men’s park skateboarding, he won at the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines and again at the 2025 SEA Games in Bangkok, where he posted a winning score of 90.68.

He also became the lone Filipino park skateboarder to advance to the second phase of the 2024 Paris Olympic Qualification System, competing in the Olympic qualification events in Dubai and Budapest.

Wagdos withdraws from Asiad marathon

Philippine marathon record holder Sonny Wagdos has withdrawn from the Asian Games marathon scheduled for tomorrow after falling ill ahead of the competition.

In a Facebook post, Wagdos revealed that he has been battling a high fever, forcing him to pull out of the event.

“I’m backing out of the marathon category due to high fever. I don’t know why, maybe it’s hard to adapt to the weather from hot to cold. Sayang talaga preparation namin,” Wagdos said.

Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association Secretary General Jasper Tanhueco shared that Wagdos had already been dealing with illness and taking medication even before arriving in Nagoya.

“He’s feeling better now, but we consulted with Sonny and Coach Vertek. Siyempre, priority natin ang well-being ng athlete. Marathon ‘yun at hindi biro, especially given his condition now,” Tanhueco said.

The 32-year-old Philippine Air Force sergeant made history earlier this year at the Tokyo Marathon, where he clocked 2:14:32 to break the 22-year-old Philippine marathon record previously held by his coach, two-time Olympian Eduardo ‘Vertek’ Buenavista.

Wagdos was expected to lead the country’s marathon campaign alongside fellow Filipino runner Richard Salano.

Despite missing the marathon, Wagdos’ Asian Games stint may not be over. He is still expected to compete in the men’s 5,000-meter event on September 29, provided he has fully recovered from his illness.

SiPons stumble against Kazakhstan, await opponent in knockout rounds

For Sisi Rondina and the Alas Pilipinas women’s beach volleyball team, the loss to Kazakhstan in Pool E was a missed opportunity.

Alas dropped the opening set, 21-17, but bounced back dominantly to level the playing field with a 21-10 win in the second. Kazakhstan however held on in the deciding set, to take the match at the final score of 15-10.

“We missed the opportunity, ’yan lang masasabi ko. Sayang pero brighter side pa rin kami,” Rondina said.

Despite the setback, Rondina stressed that the team remains hopeful knowing there is still a long way to go in the competition.

“Positive pa rin kami sa mga upcoming days and games namin. Nakakalungkot but at the same time nakaka-excite kung ano pa yung susunod na mangyari,” she said. “We need to prepare for the next games. Ang haba pa ng liga.”

The focus now is on recovery, making adjustments and cleaning up their execution before their next match on Sept. 28. Their opponent will be determined on Sept. 27, after all the matches have been completed.

“Kailangan namin aralin and maging maayos pa sa mga galaw namin. And babawi!!! Kahit anong mangyari. Rest and recover and banat ulit!!!”

Paris earns fifth place in Asiad skateboarding

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Twelve-year-old Philippine skateboarding prodigy and Thailand Sea Games champion Mazel Paris Alegado put up a gallant fight against older competition, finishing fifth overall in the Women’s Park Final at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.  

Being one of the youngest competitors in the championship field, Paris continually improved throughout the morning, posting her best mark of 80.65 points on her fourth and final run.

This came after solid showings of 70.81 in Run 1 and 80.19 in Run 2, followed by a minor slip in Run 3 (1.67).   Despite her impressive execution, she was narrowly bumped down to fifth by China's Cao Shiqi, who is also 12 years old. Cao snatched fourth place by landing an 81.23 on her own final run.  

The podium was ultimately dominated by older, highly experienced skaters. Japan's 15-year-old Mizuho Hasegawa clinched the gold medal with a massive top score of 94.03 during her second run.

Chinese Taipei's 14-year-old Lin Yi-fan took home the silver with an 85.15 on her first attempt, while 20-year-old Japanese star Misugu Okamoto secured the bronze with an 82.86 on her second run.

Paris, Francisco make it to Asiad skate finals

Mazel Paris and Jericho Francisco advanced to the final rounds of their respective skateboarding events at the 20th Asian Games at Aichi Sky Expo on Thursday.

Paris, 12, finished fourth overall in the women’s park skateboarding preliminaries after scoring 73.93 points in Heat 2. Japan’s Mizuho Hasegawa topped the heat with 89.15 points.

“It was super fun. I landed my runs, and that was my goal,” Paris said. “For tomorrow, I’m gonna pray to land my runs and to have fun.”

In the men’s park skateboarding event, Francisco also secured fourth place overall with 80.64 points.

“I had a really, really good time,” he said. “I have a couple of tricks up my sleeve that I’m gonna pull out in practice, and then just have fun and enjoy.”

The finals are set for Friday, with the women’s park skateboarding event scheduled for 9 a.m. Manila time, followed by the men’s event at 11:30 a.m.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth Amador finished fourth in Heat 2 with 59.99 points.

Abdilla-Francisco tandem eliminated from Asian Men's Beach Volleyball

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The Alas Pilipinas Men couldn’t wear down Oman in a closely-fought second set to absorb a 14-21, 26-28 defeat—the second in Pool A—to crash out of the men’s beach volleyball competition in the Aichi-Nagoya 20th Asian Games on Thursday at the Hekinan Ryokuchi Beach Court.

Lerry Francisco and Alnakran Abadilla’s loss ended their competitive season, but assistant coach Leonardo Gomes saw a bright spot in Francisco, who has only been playing beach volleyball for two and a half years.

“It was a very disappointing result for us. We had a chance to close out the second set, but we didn’t take advantage of our counterattack opportunities.” Gomes said. “After that, the set kept going point by point, and unfortunately, we couldn’t finish it.”

Gomes said Francico’s only in his  fourth tournament but showed he could compete at the Asian Games level, playing with courage and confidence.

“Unfortunately, the result didn’t come, but if there is one positive thing we can take from this match, it is Lerry’s performance and his continued development as a beach volleyball player,” Gomes said.

“At the end of the day, experience matters a lot, especially in important moments like the ones we had today,” he said.

The 34th SEA Games will now be the next major target and for Gomes, the team must reassess its direction, identify its mistakes and learn from the Asian Games.

He remains hopeful given the group’s young age and the potential he sees from the team.

Philippines earn sixth place finish in Asiad Men's Team Gymnastics

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Team Philippines finished sixth in the men's artistic gymnastics team final of the 20th Asian Games on Wednesday at the Nagoya City General Gymnasium Rainbow Hall in Japan.

Filipino gymnasts double Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo, FIG World Cup gold medalist Eldrew Yulo, Southeast Asian Games medalists Miguel Besana and Justine Ace De Leon as well as Zachary Nunez scored a total of 227.359 points.

"For me, personally, malayo pa talaga tayo. Siguro bilang team, kung i-goal natin manalo, sobrang layo pa talaga. But at the same time nakakatuwa po kasi first time po yata na makapasok ng finals sa Asian Games bilang Team Philippines po," the elder Yulo shares.

"So with that result po, sobrang ako natutuwa doon. And looking back sa mga nangyari, it's really a good result already for us, Filipinos po. So, ayun po, natutuwa ako sa performance namin today. [We] really did our best and nag-all out talaga lahat. Pagod na pagod na talaga eh. Wala na din maibigay yung iba. Pero lumaban tayo ng buong puso," he added.

Yulo once again topped the floor exercise with 14.266 points, while bouncing back in the vault where he scored 14.566 points.

"For me, stepping stone ko para sa akin yun na mas magperform well for tomorrow and sa susunod na bukas. And today, yung vault ko. Super comfortable ako today. And relaxed lang talaga yung pakiramdam ko kanina. So it went really, really well in my opinion. And ayun yung kailangan ko i-replicate sa susunod na bukas," he said.

The Olympic gold medalist and his brother Eldrew will now turn their focus to the men's floor exercise final slated to take place on Thursday, as they aim to strike it big time for Team Philippines supported by the Philippine Olympic Committee and Philippine Sports Commission.

"Gusto ko talaga i-showcase yung pagiging artistic ng gymnastic ko and yung elegance po na ang tina-target ko talaga na ma-perform po sa nakakakabang sitwasyon. Pero I really wanted to be really graceful tomorrow and focus talaga sa mas magandang performance more than the result po," Carlos said.

"Sa floor, sobra akong naramdaman yung floor mismo. Like, parang nag-connect kami ng floor. Well, even though na my last pass is not that good or di siya yung expect ko, but alam ko na kung ano yung feeling or alam ko na kung ano yung next move ko for tomorrow. alam ko na kung ano yung i-change ko and kung paano ko siya i-change," Eldrew shared.

Carlos also qualified for the vault and parallel bars finals, while Eldrew will likewise compete in the horizontal bar finals.

Miguel Besana also advanced to the vault finals, the same event he won gold in the 2023 Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia.

Catantan bows out in Asiad Women's Foil Quarterfinals

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Filipino fencers absorbed tough defeats in the 20th Asian Games with Olympian Sam Catantan crashing out after yielding to South Korea’s Park Jihee, 15-10, in the quarterfinals of women’s individual foil event on Wednesday at the Aichi Sky Expo on Wednesday.

Fighting through tears, the 24-year-old fencer kept her head held high.

“I’m really proud with how I fenced today. Up to the end, I did not give up. So I’m very proud of that. Unfortunately, it’s sports, it could go either way,” Catantan said.

Hoping to learn from her Asian Games journey, Catantan is looking to improve moving forward.

“One of my main goals for this tournament is to see where I’m at currently and work after to be better and to hopefully get better results for the upcoming Olympic qualifying season,” she said.

“Every competition, the key takeaway is to never give up, aim for better results, and work harder,” she added.

Christian Jhester Concepcion and Eunice Daniel Villanueva bowed to their respective opponents in men’s individual sabre.

Concepcion bowed to Iran’s Mohammad Fotouhi Firozabad, 7-15, in the round of 16 while Villanueva lost to Saudi Arabia’s Adel Mukhlid Almutairi, 9-15, in the round of 32.

Catantan’s younger sister, Janna, fell to Singapore’s Maxine Jie Xin Wong, 2-15, in the round of 32 of the women’s individual foil event.

Four more fencers will compete on Thursday—Jian Miguel Bautista and Noelito Jose Jr. in men’s épée and Jylyn Nicanor and Queen Denice Dalmacio in women’s sabre individual events.

Adriano nets a second karate bronze for the Philippines in Asiad

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Marie June Adriano  delivered the Philippines’ second karate medal at the 20th Asian Games after capturing bronze in the women’s kumite -50kg division on Wednesday.

Adriano, 22, defeated Chinese Taipei’s Ya-chi Chung, 10-3, in the bronze medal match to secure her first Asian Games medal.

The Filipino karateka, a first-timer in the Asian Games, had earlier beaten Cambodia’s Srey Phea Chonn, 4-3, and South Korea’s Yang Yewon, 4-0, before falling narrowly to Hong Kong’s Tsang Yee Ting, 5-4, in the semifinals.

The bronze-medal victory was particularly significant for Adriano, who was competing internationally at the Asian Games for the first time.

She also had added motivation against Chung, having lost to the same opponent in their previous two meetings. Adriano said she reviewed their past encounters and made the necessary adjustments before the deciding bout.

“Pangatlong beses na po naming nagharap,” said Adriano, recalling their previous meetings.

Adriano, a Human Kinetics student at PUP and a native of Llanera in Nueva Ecija, credited her training, technique and her coach’s confidence for helping her stay composed during the bronze-medal match.

“Mas nagtiwala po ako sa technique ko, sa kung ano yung baon ko, kung ano yung trinain ko para sa competition na ito,” she said.

She also recalled her coach’s reminder to stay in the middle and wait for the right opportunity to attack.

“Sa atin na ito, sa amin na ito. Kailangan ko lang mag-work,” Adriano said.

The medal capped a breakthrough run for the young karateka, who said she was grateful for the opportunity to represent the Philippines.

“Super laking bagay niya para sa akin. As a first-timer, talagang yung pressure, nandoon lahat,” Adriano said. “Sobrang happy po ako na isa ako sa napili at nakapagbigay ako ng medalya para sa Pilipinas.”
Adriano’s bronze gave the Philippines its second karate medal of the Games and its fifth medal overall.

A day earlier, the Philippine women’s kata team of Rebecca Cyril Torres, Samantha Emmanuelle Veguillas and Ysabielle Arrogante also secured a bronze medal.

Ogayre ekes split decision win in Asiad boxing

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Junmilardo Ogayre steadied the Philippine boxing team with a gritty 3-2 split decision over Mongolia's Gantumur Lundaa on Wednesday, a day after a loss by Paris Olympian Aira Villegas.

Ogayre, 27, advanced to the men's 60-kilogram next round against Nepal's Roka Magar after surviving a standing eight-count in the final round at Nishio Gymnasium in Nishio City, 50 kilometers south of Nagoya.

Lundaa pressed from the opening bell, crowding Ogayre and pinning him to the ropes. Ogayre countered with jabs and clean inside shots to take the first two rounds on four of five judges' cards, building the cushion he needed.

Lundaa continued to come forward in the third and forced the referee to issue a standing eight-count against Ogayre.

The Mongolian took the final round 10-9 on all five cards, but Ogayre held on for Team Philippines supported by the Philippine Olympic Committee and Philippine Sports Commission.

Judges from Guatemala, Bulgaria and Argentina scored for Ogayre, while judges from Uzbekistan and Mauritius scored for Lundaa.

The result moved the Philippine boxing team to 2-1, with Norlan Petecio delivering the team's first win before Villegas dropped her opener in the women's 51kg class.

Olympic medalists Nesthy Petecio (women's 60kg) and Carlo Paalam (men's 55kg), and Riza Pasuit (women's 54kg), are scheduled to see action in the coming days.

Gilas complete sweep in Asiad Men's 3x3 pool play

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Gilas Pilipinas Men 3x3 completed a flawless group stage campaign to barge into the quarterfinals of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, fending off Kazakhstan, 21-15, on Wednesday at the Kinjo Futo Station Square Venue in Japan.

With the victory -- the Filipinos' third straight counting wins against Asian No. 1 Mongolia (19-12) and Sri Lanka (21-12) -- Gilas finished on top of Pool A, officially securing their spot in the quarters.

Composed of La Salle's Luis Pablo and Doy Dungo, Santo Tomas' Koji Buenaflor and Binan Tatak Gel's Nic Cabanero, the team will take on Chinese Taipei at 5:30 p.m. (Philippine time) on Thursday.

"Nandito na," said coach Patrick Fran, pointing to his bag containing the scouting report and video materials on the Taiwanese. "Ready na."

Kazakhstan caught the Philippines—supported by the Philippine Olympic Committee and Philippine Sports Commission—napping early, jumping out to a 4-1 lead powered by a two-pointer from Timur Tangiyev.

But Gilas quickly regained control behind a strong putback from Buenaflor, highlighted earlier by an emphatic two-handed slam, and a timely two-pointer from Cabañero to construct a 13-9 lead.

Although Kazakhstan pulled within one at 13-12 following a basket by Artur Junussov, Gilas responded with a key 8-3 closing run to seal the win with 33 seconds remaining.

The late surge was spearheaded by collegiate teammates Pablo and Dungo, who erupted with five of Gilas' final eight points, finishing the contest with six points, three rebounds, and two assists.

Cabañero again anchored the scoring with seven points, three rebounds, and an assist, an impressive feat considering he was nursing a sprained, swollen right hand he suffered during Gilas' game against Mongolia on Monday.

Pablo provided five points, while Buenaflor contributed three points to round out the balanced attack.

Timur Tangiyev led Kazakhstan with six points and eight rebounds as his squad fell to 1-2 in group play.

Mansur Seilkhanov contributed four points, with Junussov and Alizhan Ydyryszhan adding three and two points, respectively.

Sanchez pulls out of Women's 100m back, focuses on specialty event

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It’s all about the 50m dash! The Philippine coaching staff officially scratched Olympian Kayla Sanchez from the Women's 100m Backstroke, giving her a Did Not Start (DNS) to prioritize her physical recovery for her strongest event.

National coach Ryan Arabejo revealed that they are controlling all the variables they can to give Sanchez the absolute best shot at gold.

"Dun tayo sa kaya nating ma-control. So, if we can rest Kayla and prepare her better for tomorrow’s 50 meters where she has a very, very good chance of winning a gold, we gave her a rest," he shared, noting she was also pulled from relay duties to maximize her rest.

Reflecting on her incredibly close 4th-place finish in the 100m Free, Arabejo praised her aggressiveness: "She took the risk and went harder in the beginning... naunahan lang sa very last stroke, so we move on to the next."

Now fully rested, Sanchez is gearing up for a fiery 50m showdown. 

"Ang 50, anything goes dyan... It’s anybody’s game," Arabejo warned.

Lessons learned from Asiad for Alas Women

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For Alas Pilipinas Women, the Aichi-Nagoya 20th Asian Games was about the chance to compete for a medal and ninth place was never the dream, but it became the best outcome after their quarterfinal hopes were cut short.

So the Filipinas had to shift gears and head coach Taka Minowa gave them a new target—win all three classification games and finish as high as they could.

They did exactly that and closed out with a straight-set win over Hong Kong, 25-21, 25-9, 30-28, on Tuesday night to seal ninth place—a victory the Filipinas clinched ahead of the women’s volleyball gold medal match won by China, 25-19, 25-20, 25-23, at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Gymnasium.

But the victories do not change the fact that they did not reach their goal—Alas came to Nagoya wanting more, knowing they can do more.

China and Kazakhstan stopped their run with the Chinese sweeping the Filipinas, 18-25, 22-25, 8-25, and the Kazakhs earning a 29-27, 24-26, 25-23, 25-19 victory.

The Kazakhstan match showed two sides of this Alas team—enough fight and firepower to push a stronger opponent, but not enough consistency to finish the job.

New goal, new mindset. The medal was gone, but the tournament wasn't.

Minowa made sure his players understood that. Three games remained, and all had to go their way. Alas took care of business, beating Qatar (25-8, 25-2, 25-9), Mongolia (25-13, 25-11, 25-20) and Hong Kong to close on a three-game winning streak.

For Angel Canino, the wins mattered.

“Actually, happy kami. Although hindi 'yun yung gusto naming overall goal sa Asian Games, happy kami sa lahat ng wins namin… yung mga nagawa namin as a team and, of course, yung learning experience,” Canino said.

It was Canino's first Asian Games.

“Grabeng achievement siguro individually… such an amazing experience na makasama ko my ates, na makasama ako sa Philippine national team. Kasi yung iba diyan, ini-idolize ko din,” she said.
Bella Belen was candid about what the tournament exposed.

“Iba. Iba talaga yung laruan. Ang dami naming napulot, lalo na sa amin mga bata,” she said. “Alam namin na meron pang dapat itaas. Taas pa namin yung level of playing namin.”

It showed what needs to improve. Minowa also saw progress after facing China and Kazakhstan.

“Actually, I think we have improvements… we have a lot to gain, experience. We became better team,” Belen added.

But now comes the harder part: How do you turn those lessons into actual progress?

Promising sign is that Canino is already looking five years ahead, hoping for a quarterfinal breakthrough and Belen saying the same thing—she wants to be back and finish higher.

So yes, Alas Pilipinas Women finish ninth. But ninth needs context. It was the best they could do after the medal run ended.

They came to Nagoya wanting a medal. They leave with ninth place but a clearer idea of how to get closer to one.

Jean Claude Saclag settles for Asian Games silver

c/o POC/PSC Media

Jean Claude “The Dynamite” Saclag admitted he was disappointed after falling short of the gold medal in the men’s traditional -65kg mixed martial arts final at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, but said the experience has given him a clearer idea of what he needs to improve.

The Filipino fighter settled for silver after facing Tajikistan’s Otabek Rajabov in the gold-medal match. Saclag reached the final after defeating Japan’s Daisuke Murayama by unanimous decision in the semifinals. 

“Sayang talaga. Gusto ko talagang makakuha ng gold. Nag-expect ako na kaya kong mag-gold. Malungkot ako, hindi lang dahil natalo ako, kundi dahil sa performance ko,” Saclag said.

He admitted that he had expected to perform better, but found it difficult to deal with Rajabov’s strength on the ground.

“Akala ko nag-improve na ako, pero grabe ang higpit niya sa baba. Gusto kong tumayo para makabalik sa laban, pero hindi niya talaga ako pinatayo,” he said.

Saclag also recalled how his opponent acknowledged the power of his punches during their handshake after the match.

The silver medal was Saclag’s second Asian Games silver, following his finish in wushu at the 2014 Incheon Games. He said he had hoped to finally capture gold after coming close more than a decade ago.

“Sinabi ko sa sarili ko na ito na ’yung pagkakataon kong mag-gold, kasi noong 2014, natalo rin ako sa finals sa wushu,” Saclag said.

Despite the disappointment, Saclag explained that transitioning to MMA was not particularly difficult because of his background with Team Lakay in Baguio. 

His experience in wushu sanda and kickboxing helped develop his striking, but the final exposed areas of his ground game that still need work.

“Hindi naman ako nahirapan sa transition, kasi iyon naman ang background ng team namin sa Baguio. Pero na-realize ko na malayo pa ang kailangan kong i-improve sa ground game,” he said.

Saclag said he plans to use the experience as motivation when he returns to the Philippines.

“Gagamitin ko itong sakit para mag-improve pa. Kailangan ko pang husayan ang ground game ko,” he added.

He also admitted that he became too eager after the opening round, which affected his execution of the game plan. The strategy was to rely on his striking, maintain distance, and avoid being taken down.

“Expected ko na ’yung ganung laban. Ang game plan sana, strike, strike, tapos iwas. Hindi ako magpap takedown. Pero noong second round, siguro nagmadali ako dahil akala ko nakuha ko na ’yung first round, Saclag said.

Although he fell short of the gold, Saclag remained grateful for reaching the final and bringing home a medal for the country.

“Sayang, pero thankful pa rin ako. Nakarating tayo sa finals at safe pa ako,” he said.

Looking ahead, Saclag said he intends to focus on improving his ground game over the next two to three months, taking the lessons from the final as motivation for his next chapter in MMA.

Gilas Women 3x3 secure back-to-back wins in Asiad pool play

c/o POC/PSC Media

Gilas Pilipinas Women’s 3x3 team opened its Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games campaign with a bang on Tuesday, stunning powerhouse Mongolia, 17-12, before routing Macau, 21-4, at the Kinjo Futo Station Square Venue here.

Kacey Dela Rosa overcame an early ankle injury to lead the Philippines past the higher-ranked Mongolians, before the nationals carried the momentum into their second game to sweep their opening assignments in Group C.

The 2-0 start assured Gilas Women of a place in the play-ins, while keeping its sights on the group’s top seed, which comes with a direct berth in the quarterfinals. The strong opening also mirrored the unbeaten start of the Philippine men’s 3x3 team in its own campaign.

Dela Rosa shook off a right-ankle sprain suffered just two minutes into the opening game and returned to dominate inside, finishing with 10 points and three rebounds.

"It (injury) is not an excuse para mag-stop sa paglaban. I came back and we got the win," the 22-year-old Dela Rosa said in an interview with One Sports.

"I saw my team and the opponents were up already, parang doon na nag-click na they need me inside. Kaya 'yun, I tied my shoes and came back in," added the Ateneo standout, who was part of the Philippines’ gold medal-winning 3x3 team at the 2025 Southeast Asian Games.

With Dela Rosa controlling the paint, the nationals erased an 8-5 deficit and unleashed a 10-3 run to move ahead, 15-11, with 1:03 left before holding off the Mongolians the rest of the way.

Kennan Ka added three points, while Amyah Espanol and Victoria Pasilang contributed two apiece to secure the victory for coach Anton Altamirano’s squad.

"Mongolia is one of the top teams in the world... And the first game's always the hardest, but we were able to really manage good possessions, especially when Kacey was down. We made really good stops to get the victory," said Altamirano, who also praised Dela Rosa for battling through the injury.

"She's a tough girl. She's been through stuff like this. It's a testament to her character and mental toughness," he added.

Pasilang and Ka took charge in the second game as the Philippines dismantled Macau, with Pasilang pouring in eight points and Ka seven, as Dela Rosa was given limited playing time.

Dela Rosa still chipped in four points, though, while Espanol delivered an all-around performance with two points, eight rebounds and five assists to complete the sweep.

The Gilas Women will shoot for the No. 1 seed on Wednesday when they face fellow unbeaten Malaysia at 5:05 p.m.

Malaysia also finished opening day at 2-0 after beating Macau, 14-3, and Mongolia, 17-11. 

The Philippines, however, sits atop Group C by virtue of a superior point differential.

Karate secures a bronze for the Philippines in Asiad

c/o POC/PSC Media

Philippines delivered another historic milestone at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games after the Rebecca Cyril Torres, Samantha Veguillas and Ysabelle Arrogante clinched the women’s team kata bronze medal of karate on Tuesday at the Aichi-Nagoya 20th Asian Games at the Toyohashi Gymnasium here.

The quartet beat Southeast Asian rival Thailand’s Ramitar Terananon, Monsicha Sakulrattanatara and Phatcharin Plangplai, 4-1, for the Philippines’ first-ever medal in team kata event in the Asian Games.

The Filipinas set the tone early with a flawless 5-0 sweep of Cambodia’s Sreynuch Puthea, Oun Sreyda and That Chhenghorng, but went down to a 0-5 loss to powerhouse Iran in the semifinals.

“Wala na kami inisip kung sino kalaban,” Arrogante said. “Basta we claim sa amin ang bronze.”

The emotional triumph was the culmination of years of quiet sacrifice.

“It has been a long journey. Dami hirap ng mga teammates,” an emotional Torres said. “Marami losses over the years, pero perform lang, laban lang hanggang dulo.”

Adding fuel to their fire was the news they received just a day prior that the Philippines officially qualified for the Karate World Cup this November in Hangzhou.

"Na-inspire kami, kaya itutuloy pa namin ito, yung magandang resulta,” Arrogante said.

Head Coach Sonny Montalvo commended his athletes for their immense dedication, highlighting how the girls temporarily left their families and put their university studies on hold just to train.

The trio also credited their success to the unwavering support of their coaches and officials, specifically former Karate Pilipinas president the late Pocholo Veguillas, father of current president Richard Lim, also Team Philippines chef de mission in these games.

Karate has contributed consecutive bronze medals in the Asian Games starting with Junna Tsukii in Jakarta 2018 and Sakura Alforte in Hangzhou 2023.

Alforte, an individual kata specialist, missed this year's Asiad due to a new ruling requiring all squad members to compete in the team event.

“Big boost sa karate. Nakita natin magaling ang Pilipino, tiwala lang,” he said. "Maka-inspire din ito sa delegation dito. Dami pa lalaban.”

New postseason format beckons for upcoming UAAP Women's Football season

c/o NU Athletics Office

Matches Wednesday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium
2 p.m. – DLSU vs UP
4:30 p.m. – UST vs Ateneo
7 p.m. – FEU vs NU

Four-time defending champion Far Eastern University begins its quest for an unprecedented fifth straight UAAP women’s football title as an expanded Season 89 tournament kicks off today (Wednesday) at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.

The Lady Tamaraws headline a six-team field that also includes last year’s finalist De La Salle University, third-placer Ateneo de Manila University, perennial contenders University of Santo Tomas and University of the Philippines, and newcomer National University.

FEU opens its title defense against NU at 7 p.m. in the main game of Wednesday’s triple-header. La Salle and UP clash at 2 p.m. to open the tournament, followed by UST and Ateneo at 4:30 p.m.

With the addition of the Lady Bulldogs, the tournament will adopt a Final Four format for the first time. The top two teams at the end of the elimination round will earn a twice-to-beat advantage over the third- and fourth-placers in the semifinals.

FEU head coach Let Dimzon welcomed the changes, saying the arrival of NU should make the competition more exciting.

“I think it's very good for women's football and for the UAAP,” said FEU coach Let Dimzon. “Having NU join the competition makes the league more exciting because of the new format.”

Despite the pressure that comes with defending the crown and chasing a five-peat, Dimzon wants her players to remain focused on the task at hand rather than the potential milestone.

"Of course, there is always pressure when you are the defending champion, especially after winning four consecutive championships. But I don't want the players to focus too much on the five-peat," she said.

"For us, the goal is to focus on the process—how we train, how we compete, how we improve every game, and how we play for FEU. If we do those things well, then hopefully the results will follow."

Standing in FEU’s way on opening day is an NU side eager to make an immediate impression in its first UAAP campaign.

Lady Bulldogs coach Ryan Payson said the team has been preparing for its Season 89 debut for more than a year and is excited to finally test itself against the league’s established programs.

Rather than be intimidated by the challenge of facing more experienced teams, Payson wants NU to begin proving itself by competing with the defending champions and producing a positive result.

"Well, for one, the whole team, including the coaching staff, is very excited because it is the first time NU will participate in a women's football game,” said Payson. “So lahat ng players ko, excited now to play sa first game against FEU — a very competitive team — but we will try our best to be at par with everything here in the UAAP.”

Opening the day is a matchup between Season 88 finalist La Salle and UP, which is looking to return to the podium for the first time since finishing third in Season 86.

For UP coach Anto Gonzales, who guided the Fighting Maroons to the championship in Season 78, reaching the Final Four is the primary objective this season.

"We joined the PWL and were able to give ample exposure to all of the players from our UAAP pool. We have six new players — one is Aurea Reaso, a senior who missed last season due to a knee injury, and two others who served their residency," he said.

UST and Ateneo, meanwhile, begin their respective campaigns hoping to build on their recent podium finishes.

The Lady Booters won bronze in Season 87, while the Blue Eagles claimed third place in Season 88, giving both teams plenty of motivation to make another deep run this season.

UST coach Marjo Allado said his squad enters the tournament well prepared after a competitive offseason, with players fighting for spots in the final lineup.

"Maayos naman 'yung preparation at 'yung players—including 'yung mga galing high school program na nag-move up na sa senior team. Players are ready, and during the camp, meron laging competition sa trainings para lang makasama sa final 23 line-up," he said.

Ateneo head coach Bob Manlulo, meanwhile, is keeping his team’s objectives straightforward: improve its system, develop its rookies, and translate that progress into better results despite missing out on preseason tournaments.

“We’re hoping to improve our performance this year by achieving better results and improvement in every game,” Manlulo said.

The longtime Blue Eagles mentor also welcomed the new Final Four format, saying it gives the women’s division more opportunities to compete while providing teams with a clearer path to the Finals.

"For us, it’s a big chance," Manlulo added. "Every game is crucial, and having that Final Four setup gives us and every other team a real shot if we stay consistent throughout the elimination round."

POC still believes in eight-gold Asian Games target

 

Despite a few early roadblocks by Day 3 of the 2026 Asian Games, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Cong. Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino remains absolutely firmly planted in his prediction that Team Pilipinas will bring home at least 8 Gold Medals!

In an exclusive interview, the POC Chief made it clear that he isn't backing down from his high hopes for the national squad.

"Walang atrasan 'to. Sabi ko nga, hindi naman masama ang mangarap eh. Wala namang bayad 'yan, libre 'yun," Tolentino stated, emphasizing that the tournament is just getting started.

When asked who he expects to deliver the gold, he quickly rattled off a powerhouse list of remaining contenders: MMA, Alex Eala, Carlos Yulo, EJ Obiena, the Boxers, Athletics (Busong), 3x3 Basketball, Mobile Legends, and Jiu-Jitsu.

"Lampas sampu pa 'yun. So hindi pa tayo nawawalan ng pag-asa. Definitely, meron tayong golds," he proudly declared.

Tolentino highlighted that surpassing the previous 4-gold medal haul is highly achievable, noting that today's athletes are much better supported with funding, training allowances, and crucial foreign coaches to match up against heavily funded naturalized athletes from other nations.

His ultimate advice to the team? "Laban lang. No replay... gamit din ng strategy. Pag lamang na, wag nang gigil." 

The gold rush is still on! Keep the faith, Pilipinas!

Gilas seeks sweep in Asiad men's 3x3 pool play

c/o POC/PSC Media

Gilas Pilipinas Men’s 3x3 Team tries to keep the Philippine basketball campaign alive in the 20th Asian Games when they face Kazakhstan on Wednesday.

Gilas Pilipinas 3x3 is coming off a 2-0 start after beating Asian no. 1 Mongolia, 19-12, and Sri Lanka, 21-12, on the opening day of competition at Kinjo Futo Station Square as it heads into the crucial Pool A match.

A win over Kazakhstan at 12:15 p.m. would give the Philippines a sweep of the elimination round and an outright ticket to the quarterfinals, bringing the young squad one step closer to a medal.

Kazakhstan lost to Mongolia after beating Sri Lanka in the first two games of the tournament to end up with a 1-1 record.

Nic Cabañero of the Binan Tatak Gel team in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, has been the main man in Gilas’ hot start, scoring seven points against Mongolia before adding another eight against Sri Lanka. Timely scoring from Santo Tomas’ Koji Buenaflor and Luis Pablo of La Salle has also helped, but the Filipinos’ defensive pressure has enabled them to dictate the tempo in both games.

Cabañero, Buenaflor, Pablo and Doy Dungo, also of La Salle, arrived in Nagoya after just about a month of preparation but their familiarity from the UAAP and other competitions has helped them quickly develop chemistry.

The Philippines also comes into Wednesday’s game on the back of a rise to No. 27 in the world men’s 3x3 rankings, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas said.

But the Filipinos are not assuming anything.

“Dito sa 3x3, anybody can beat anyone, so we consider everyone a threat,” Pablo said.

That mindset could be important against Kazakhstan as Gilas seeks not only to finish the pool stage unbeaten.

China shattered the defending champion 5x5 team's bid to retain its title, beating the Philippines, 105-61, in the preliminary round. The 44-point drubbing ended the Philippines' hopes of repeating their Hangzhou triumph.

Philippines issue shutout victory in Asiad baseball opener

The Philippine Men's Baseball team opened their 2026 Asian Games Group A campaign with an absolute masterclass, blanking Palestine in a dominant 12-0 victory.

According to Baseball Secretary General Mike Asuncion, the team, which is a perennial champion in the SEA Games, is on a mission to be at par with the best in Asia.

"I'd say the team started strong and attacked all the way. Every inning there was pressure on Palestine's pitcher, even when we didn't score, there was always a runner on base. I think they fielded US-based players because we played against them last year in China,” said Asuncion.

The boys put constant pressure on Palestine's pitcher, putting up 4 quick runs right in the very first inning and ensuring there was always a runner on base even during scoreless innings.

Asuncion also highly praised the excellent strategy drawn up by the coaching staff led by Head Coach Lando Binarao, which perfectly countered Palestine's US-based roster.

The team hopes their scintillating win against Palestine will give them the need momentum against Tuesday rival and powerhouse China, which is coming off a 3-11 loss to world champion Japan.

The Philippines-China match is set at 12 noon, with the Filipino batters are eager to capitalize and tighten their grip on the tournament standings.

Kata trio secure bronze in Asiad

c/o POC/PSC Media Team

Team Philippines added another medal on Day 3 of the 2026 Asian Games as the women’s kata team defeated Thailand, 4-1, in the bronze medal match Tuesday in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

Samantha Emmanuelle Veguillas, Ysabielle Arrogante, and Rebecca Cyril Torres delivered a composed performance to secure the bronze, giving the Philippines its third medal of the continental showpiece.
The Philippine side posted scores of 7.8, 7.7, 7.9, 8.7, and 8.1, compared to Thailand’s 7.6, 7.5, 7.7, 8.5, and 8.3, with the Philippines taking four of the five judges’ decisions.

The bronze capped a strong run for the Filipina trio, who navigated the knockout stages with precision and consistency to put themselves on the Asian Games podium.

For Veguillas, teamwork was at the heart of their medal finish.

“I feel like it was our teamwork. I feel like we were always showing up for each other. Madalas kami nag-training kahit anong oras, kahit ilang oras. So, I feel like we were able to show up for each other, motivate each other.”

Arrogante, meanwhile, said they blocked out the identity of their opponents and focused solely on executing their routine.

“Basta ibibigay talaga namin yung best namin kanina. Wala na po kaming inisip kung sino man ’yan. Basta kami ’to, amin ’to, amin yung bronze.”

Karate Pilipinas president and Chef De Mission Richard Lim pointed to the sacrifices behind the scenes as a major reason for their podium finish, noting the immense commitment the athletes made to their preparation.

“I would say, though, yung sacrifice nila. I mean, the time that they dedicated to the training. Some of them quit school. Not to quit, but stopped temporarily just to concentrate for the Asian Games. Away from the family. Wala nang family time dahil more on the demand of the training.”

The bronze gives the Philippine women’s kata team another major milestone as Day 3 of the Asian Games continues, with Team Philippines adding another medal to its growing haul.

Yulo siblings earn finals berth in Asiad floor

c/o POC/PSC Media

Double Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo advanced to the finals of three apparatus in the men's artistic gymnastics event of the 20th Asian Games.

Yulo topped the floor exercise qualifications with 14.600 points, performing a routine with a difficulty of 5.7 and execution of 8.900.

The Olympic floor exercise and vault gold medalist also advanced in the parallel bars, ranking sixth with a score of 14.266 points.

Yulo was able to enter the vault finals, despite not being able to land and falling during his first attempt in the qualifications.

"Sobrang challenging today. Hindi ito yung in-expect ko na preparation ko. Hindi siya lumabas talaga today. Although yung sa pommel horse okay pa naman ako. Yung sa vault hindi ko... hindi [ko] siya matanggap kanina," he told POC Media.

Yulo shared what happened during his first vault attempt and his high bar routine, where he also fell to the mat after failing to grab the bar.

"Hindi yun yung tamang pag-grab and nung nalaglag ako, I was really disappointed but at the same time thankful and grateful na safe ako kanina kasi yung ganung pagkakamali pwedeng matapos na yung yung career na meron ako," he said.

"Sa high bar din um nahulog ako. After how many years po kasi, tinigil ko yung skill na yun. And then binalik ko siya ulit just to challenge po yung sarili ko and mas makapag-look ng ibang perspective," Yulo explained.

Despite not being satisfied with his performance, Yulo is still grateful to be able to represent the Philippines and stay safe after what happened.

"It's just really ano trial and error pa din. And at the end of the day I still did what I um what's my ano po yung best ng makakaya ko," he shared.

The elder Yulo finished 10th in the individual all-around rankings with 75.465 points.

Yulo's younger brother Eldrew also booked a spot in the floor exercise final, ranking fourth with a score of 13.966 points.

"[Ang] nafe-feel ko po is grateful dahil lahat kami is safe and of course super proud din ako sa nangyari kanina. And dahil well may mga bagay din ako na hindi nagawa tulad ng pommel, sa rings, and of course sa p-bar. But I keep telling myself na change mood to change mood every time na nagcha-change kami ng apparatus to feel the other energy," he told POC Media.

In the horizontal bar, Eldrew finished ninth with 13.433 points but still advances to the final since only two athletes per National Olympic Committee (NOC) can qualify.

The younger Yulo finished eighth in the all-around with 77.264 points.

Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Miguel Besana likewise advanced to the vault final, finishing fourth in the qualification with 13.933 points.

In team action, the Philippines ranked number six in the team event with 232.093 points.

PATAFA: Difficult to predict Asiad medal haul

c/o PATAFA

EJ OBIENA will defend his gold medal—at the same time try to break his own record—in men’s pole vault as he leads a 24-member Philippine athletics team in the Aichi-Nagoya 20th Asian Games.

Philippine Athletics and Track and Field Association (PATAFA) president Terry Capistrano said the team is in harness for the competition set to start Wednesday at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium.

Joining Obiena are medal potentials John Cabang Tolentino, Lauren Hoffman and Victoria Bossong, but Capistrano admitted he couldn’t draw any medal prediction.

“It’s so difficult to gauge or make any prediction about our medal chances. But we do we believe our quality athletes will surprise us,” Capistrano said. “They are really working hard since they arrived here in Nagoya despite the rains. They really conditioned themselves.”

Tolentino is the Bangkok 2025 Southeast Asian Games champion hurdler and Olympian alongside Hoffman, while Filipino-American Bossong, according to PATAFA coaches, has the numbers for podium finishes in the middle distance races.

Obiena owns the Asian record of 6.0 meters and the games record of 5.90 meters he set in Hangzhou three years ago.

Besides Tolentino (110m hurdles), Hoffman (400m women hurdles), Bossong (women’s 800m), and Obiena, the other national athletes are Yacine Guermali (5000m), Sonny Wagdos (5000m, marathon), Richard Solaño, and Artjoy Torregosa (Marathon) and Neil Michael Catral (200m).

The other athletes are Anfernee Lorena (100m), Jessica Rose Laurence (women’s 100m), Zion Rose Nelson (women’s 100m, 200m), Kristina Marie Knott (relays), Hussein Loraña (800m), Naomi Johnson (200m), Diana Pama (relays), Lanz Arcenal (400m) and Michael Carlo del Prado (400m).

Completing the cast are veterans Janry Ubas (long jump), and Leonard Grospe (high jump), Gabriel Borado (400m), Nathaniel Seiler (marathon race walk), Frederick Ramirez (relays), and Kent Francis Jardin (100m, relays).

“These athletes are all capable of making the final round,” Capistrano said. “Incredibly challenging so we will take it from there and hopefully podium finishes.”

Prior to their arrival to Nagoya, the team save for Obiena and Guermali warmed up at the Nippon Sports Science University from September 14 to 20.

Saclag earns way into Asiad MMA final

c/o POC/PSC Media

Jean Claude Saclag moved within one victory of giving the Philippines its first Asian Games' gold medal in mixed martial arts after dominating Japan’s Daisuke Murayama in the men’s traditional -65kg semifinal on Monday at the Nagoya City Inae Sports Center.

Saclag dictated the pace from the opening bell, using his superior striking to keep Murayama from unleashing his dangerous ground game. 

The Filipino’s aggressive approach paid off as he secured a unanimous decision and a spot in Tuesday’s gold-medal showdown.

“Ramdam ko na mas malakas ako. Na-overpower ko siya,” said Saclag, who will face Tajikistan’s Otabek Rajabov for the gold medal on Sept. 22.

With a historic gold within reach, Saclag intends to stick with the same aggressive yet disciplined strategy in the championship bout.

“Sanay naman tayo lumaban sa finals, kaya mas lalo akong na-inspire. Iba pa rin ’to. Asian Games ’to, eh,” Saclag said in a video interview with One Sports after the match.

Saclag acknowledged that Murayama’s strength on the ground made him wary of engaging too closely, forcing him to rely on distance, precision striking and takedown defense throughout the semifinal.

“Kailangan keep natin ’yung distance, saktan natin siya, tapos depensahan natin ’yung takedowns niya,” he said.

Saclag’s victory gave the Philippines another guaranteed medal in mixed martial arts, following Carlos Alvarez’s bronze in the men’s traditional -77kg division.

The 27-year-old Alvarez fought Kazakhstan’s taller Yerkingali Burkutalin in a tight semifinal, but lost by a 0-3 decision, settling for bronze after a spirited performance.

Alvarez booked his place in the medal round by sweeping Indonesia’s Ananda Wahyu Setyo Prabowo, 3-0, in the quarterfinals. 

He battled gamely against Burkutalin but could not secure a place in the championship match.

Gilas 3x3 secures strong start in Asian Games

GILAS Pilipinas Men’s 3x3 Team buckled down to business on opening day, sweeping its first two assignments in a blazing Group A start in the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 on Monday.

The young Philippine side, composed of players from the UAAP and MPBL, opened its campaign with a 19-12 triumph over Mongolia, one of the established powers in the Asian 3x3 basketball scene.

Facing a Mongolian team with a strong reputation in the region, the newly assembled Filipino squad showed little hesitation, controlling the half-court from start to finish.

The Philippines shot an impressive 55 percent from the field despite windy conditions, more than twice Mongolia’s 27 percent, while also winning the rebounding battle, 22-18.

Nic Cabanero, who plays for the Binan Tatak Gel in the MPBL, spearheaded the Philippine attack, while UST’s Koji Buenaflor was flawless from the 1-point line, converting all six of his attempts.

The Filipinos carried the momentum into their second game, overwhelming Sri Lanka after a slow start to win, 21-12, and complete a perfect opening day.

“We just needed to stay composed. ‘Yung defense talaga nagdala sa panalo. Nakita natin, we struggled at the start, but it’s not how you start the game, but how you finish,” said the 6’3” Cabanero.

With its defense finally clicking, Gilas needed only seven minutes and 12 seconds to reach the 21-point target, shooting a sizzling 67 percent from the field in an efficient offensive display.

Cabanero again led the charge with eight points and six rebounds, while La Salle forward Manuel Pablo and Buenaflor added six points apiece.

The Philippine men’s team now turns its attention to Kazakhstan on Wednesday, with a victory securing them a place in the quarterfinals.

“Grateful kami that we got the 2-0 win, but this is the crucial part na, ‘yung quick turnaround heading into the next game, we have to move on because it’s just the beginning,” said the 6’7” Pablo.

Mixed results for Yulo in Asiad Gymnastics Qualifying

c/o POC/PSC Media

Two-time Olympic champion Carlos Yulo opened his 20th Asian Games campaign in Nagoya, Japan by topping the floor exercise in Subdivision 1 of the men’s artistic gymnastics qualification round with a score of 14.600.

Yulo, however, struggled in some of his other events, including the vault and horizontal bar.

“Hindi siya lumabas sa preparation na gusto ko… ang daming learnings din na pwede kong baunin sa mga susunod na araw,” he said.

He recovered in his second vault attempt, but younger brother Karl Eldrew Yulo posted higher scores in both the vault and horizontal bar.

At the end of Subdivision 1, Carlos and Eldrew occupied the top two spots in the men’s individual all-around standings.

Carlos also revealed that he has been asking his younger brother for tips, particularly on the horizontal bar.

“Hindi ko kayang gawin yung ginagawa niya sa high bar. Nagtatanong po ako sa kanya… yung feeling and yung technique,” Carlos said.

Eldrew said it was overwhelming to have his two-time Olympic champion brother seek his advice, noting that he is usually the one asking Carlos for help.

Also competing for the Philippines were Miguel Besana, Zachary Nunez and Ace de Leon.

Despite leading after Subdivision 1, the Yulo brothers were not yet assured of finals spots as they awaited the results of Subdivision 2, featuring gymnasts from Japan, China, Chinese Taipei, Korea and Kazakhstan.

An Asian Games gold remains one of the major titles missing from Carlos Yulo’s medal collection, but he remains hopeful.

“May finals pa, may chance pa, may chance tayo na makapag-medal,” Yulo said.

Cignal steps in to ensure Eala coverage in Asian Games

Eala at the WTA125 Philippine Open

There will be no world feed for tennis at the 20th Asian Games. There will be Alex Eala — and Cignal TV is making sure Filipino fans see her.

The official Philippine broadcaster is spending an extra P1 million to mount its own coverage at Higashiyama Park Tennis Center after tennis was left off the list of 28 sports guaranteed a live signal by host broadcaster China Media Group-International Media Port.

Tennis, without its Chinese and Japanese stars, was relegated to highlights and ENG crews.

"We will not let the Filipinos down in not being able to watch Eala's games here," said Sienna Olaso, Cignal first vice president and head of sports content. "We'll place our own cameras and digital equipment."

Cignal carries Aichi-Nagoya 2026 on ONE Sports, ONE Sports+ and Pilipinas Live, building its promotion around ace athletes led by Eala, gymnast Carlos Yulo and pole vaulter EJ Obiena.

The problem emerged when the draw collapsed.

The Chinese Tennis Association confirmed Zheng Qinwen, former world No. 4, will not play in Aichi-Nagoya, along with Zhang Zhizhen, Jerry Shang Juncheng, Bu Yunchaokete and Wang Xinyu. They chose ATP events in Chengdu and Hangzhou and the China Open in Beijing — a combined ATP 500 and WTA 1000 that runs directly against the Asiad tennis schedule from Sept. 27.

Indonesia's Janice Tjen has also withdrawn. Japan's top aces are expected to skip for the same reason.

That leaves Eala, ranked No. 18, as the highest-ranked player in the women's field. She is one of only two women in the Top 20 who will miss Beijing to play the Asian Games.

Eala gave up a shot at a lucrative prize and ranking points in Beijing to chase flag and country. She will fly to Nagoya from the Singapore Open.

The stakes for the Philippines are historic — its first Asian Games tennis gold since 1962.

Alvarez delivers Asian Games medal, eyes gold

Carlos Alvarez

Carlos Alvarez delivered another medal for Team Philippines after scoring a knockout victory over Indonesia’s Ananda Wahyu Setyo in the men’s MMA Traditional -77kg quarterfinals at the 2026 Asian Games.

After a tight opening round, Alvarez knew he had to step up the pressure in the second.

“No’ng first round kasi medyo parang ganunan lang kami sa points eh. Medyo parang dikit. Tabla oh. Kaya no’ng second round sabi ko kailangan kong tapusin ’to para manalo.”

With a medal already secured, Alvarez admitted the pressure has eased slightly, but the ultimate target remains an Asian Games gold medal.

“At least nabawasan konti ’yong pressure kasi malaki pressure dito. At least ngayon may medal na tayong siguradong maiuuwi at ang goal namin talaga dito sa MMA is makuha ang gold medal.”

Alvarez also drew inspiration from fellow Filipino fighter Jean Claude Saclag, who earlier secured a bronze medal and advanced to the semifinals.

“Oo na-inspire din ako kay Jean kasi siya ’yong unang lumaban and siya din ’yong unang nanalo sa ’min. Sabi ko sa sarili ko ’di puwedeng matalo ko dito.”

Alvarez now has just one day to recover and prepare for his next challenge. He will face Yerkingali Burkutalin of Kazakhstan in the semifinals on Monday at 9:40 a.m. Manila time, with a place in the gold medal match at stake.

“Rest lang kami mamaya ng mabuti at ayusin mga masasakit na parts ng katawan tapos ’yon. Laban na ulit.”

For Alvarez, representing the Philippines provides an added source of motivation as he continues his medal campaign.

“Ah sobrang motivation ’yan kasi Pilipinas na ’yong ni-represent namin dito eh. Hindi na team lang namin sa Baguio or something. Pilipinas na siya talaga. Napakagandang motivation at inspirasyon sa aming mga lumalaban dito.”

Agustin just misses on medal bid at Asiad Teqball

Young Philippine teqball athlete Prince Agustin fell short of a podium finish at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, placing fourth on Sunday after a hard-fought battle against Cambodia’s 36-year-old SEA Games champion Friday Saw.

The 14-year-old Grade 9 student from Amulung, Cagayan Valley, showed flashes of brilliance against his veteran counterpart, tying the score twice at 7-all in both sets.

However, Saw’s experience ultimately proved decisive, securing a 12-7, 12-7 victory to claim the bronze medal.

Despite missing out on the P400,000 cash incentive awarded by the Philippine Sports Commission to bronze medalists, Agustin’s fourth-place effort marks significant progress for the young athlete.

It improves on his eighth-place finish at the SEA Games in Bangkok and follows a silver-medal performance at the Asian Beach Games in China, with his fellow 14-year-old teammates Anel Pacis Jr. and Dailan Christoffe Montenegro.

After dominating the Palarong Pambansa last year in Ilocos Norte as sepak takraw athletes, they were discovered by coach George Dalanay, who urged them to try out the sport of teqball, which combines the principles of football, volleyball and sepak takraw.

“Gusto ko po yumaman para sa pamilya ko,” said Agustin, the first athlete in his family, whose father works as a Wi-Fi technician.