Bright future seen for Alas Pilipinas Beach

c/o POC/PSC Media

The future is bright for Alas Pilipinas women’s beach volleyball after collegiate players Khy Progella and Sofiah Pagara brought the Philippines to the Asian Games podium for the first time.

Progella and Pagara turned heartbreak into history, rallying from a semifinal loss to capture a historic Asian Games bronze medal—they fought back to stun China’s Cao Shuting and Dong Jie, 13-21, 23-21, 15-13, on Friday at Hekinan Ryokuchi Beach Court.

Alas Pilipinas beach volley coach, Brazilian Joao Luciano Kioday, relished the rise of Philippine beach volleyball, with the pair from University of Santo Tomas proving that the program is in good hands after giving the country its best Asian Games finish in beach volleyball since the sport was introduced at the 1994 Hiroshima Games.

“I think results are always a reference, right? So I think we've improved a lot with the beach volleyball that we deserve a spot on the mix, right? I know Philippine is a country very passionate for the indoor volleyball,” Kioday said.

“A lot of things going on about the indoor volleyball that I think they deserve it what they have it. But don't forget beach volleyball also deserve it,” Kioday added.

“This is for the PSC, POC, PNVF. So we do have a lot of possibilities. I always told them when I have a chance,” he said. “The potential we can have it, so I think this is the time we take the flow and use this medal in a good way, not just for one team, but for the whole program.”

Asian Volleyball Confederation president Ramon “Tats” Suzara congratulated the Pagara and Progella and the whole beach volleyball program under Kioday.

“It’s all about training, training and training and competition .. exposure,” Suzara said.

“The beach volleyball athletes has had plenty of competitions ahead of the games and they reaped the fruits of their hard work here.”

Kioday seeks to ride the momentum from an Asian Games medal breakthrough from Pagara and Progella, following Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons’ gold medal run in the 2025 Southeast Asian Games last December.

The Brazilian hopes for more international exposure for Pagara and Progella as full time beach volleyball players.

“We just want the opportunity, right? Opportunity to take Khy and Sofia, to make them a professional beach volleyball, to make them have hope to be in the Olympic one time, to be the best teams in the world because they have a talent, they have potential for this. And that's what I really hope,” he said.

Pagara agreed with Kioday.

“Sa meeting po, sabi po ni Coach Kioday sa amin, parang ang bata pa po namin sa nangyayari po sa amin ngayon,” Pagara said. “Sa amin po, meron ng experience pero hindi po kagaya sa kanila na sobrang haba po talaga ng experience nila.”

“Sobrang nakaka-overwhelm po yung nangyari. Hindi po namin expect na ganito yung nangyari pero tinarabaho po namin kung ano po talaga yung deserve namin kasi pinaghirapan po namin. So, sobrang nakaka-tuwa, nakakataba ng puso po,” she added.

Progella and Pagara’s historic run came after a near-perfect campaign.

They swept their three Pool G matches, won their round-of-16 and quarterfinal matches, and then pulled off an upset of top-seeded Japanese pair of Non and Ren Matsumoto to reach the semifinals.

Their only defeat came against Thailand’s Taravadee Naraphonapat and Worapeerachayakorn Kongphopsarutawadee, who ended their gold-medal bid with a 23-21, 21-18 win in Thursday’s semifinal.

“Para sa akin yung natutunan ko dito sa liga na ito ay maging pasensya sa sarili at tiwala talaga na kaya po kasi nandun na po yung skills po,” said Pagara.

Yape named as Team Philippines flag bearer for Asiad Closing Ceremony

Taekwondo gold medalist Jeus Gabriel Derick Yape will bear the flag for a proud Team Philippines during the parade of athletes in Sunday’s closing ceremony of the Aichi-Nagoya 20th Asian Games.

“He’s deserving for that honor,” said Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino on the eve Saturday of the closing ceremony set for 5 p.m. (Manila time) also at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletics Stadium, where the hosts opened the games two weeks ago.

“It will be a recognition not only for Jeus but also for taekwondo, which finally won its first Asian Games gold medal since 1994, when the sport became a medal event in the games,” Tolentino added.

Yape topped the mixed virtual taekwondo—an open gender event that combines the combat sports with virtual reality and motion-tracking technology—last Friday to highlight a best-ever 1-3-1 gold-silver-bronze haul by the Filipino jins.

He also clinched bronze in men’s individual poomsae.

Also joining the closing ceremony are silver medalist Juliana Mykhail Candelaria, ⁠Tachiana Keizha Mangin and Kurt Barbosa of taekwondo and ⁠Carlo Paalam of boxing.

Paris Olympics boxing bronze medalist Aira Villegas and weightlifting world junior champion Albert Ian de los Santos were the flag bearers during the September 19 opening ceremony.

Philippines secure historic Asiad bronze in beach volleyball

Khy Progella and Sofiah Pagara turned heartbreak into history, rallying from a set down to capture a historic bronze medal in the Asian Games women’s beach volleyball on Thursday at Hekinan Ryokuchi Beach Court.

The young Alas Pilipinas tandem battled back from a slow start to stun China’s Cao Shuting and Dong Jie, 13-21, 23-21, 15-13, securing the Philippines’ first-ever Asian Games podium finish in beach volleyball.

“Sobrang nakaka-overwhelmed po ‘yung nangyari, trinabaho po namin kung ano ‘yung deserve namin,” said Pagara.

Progella and Pagara refused to fold despite being dominated in the opening set and facing a match point in the second, with the Chinese pair moving ahead, 20-19.

The pair from University of Santo Tomas erased the deficit and forced a deciding set, where the match remained tight until the crucial stretch. Locked at 10-all, Progella and Pagara surged ahead, 14-12, putting themselves within one point of the bronze.

China saved one match point, but the Filipinas remained composed.

Dong then sent an over pass long, triggering a celebration from the Philippine side as Progella and Pagara secured their place in Asian Games history.

“Actually noong first set andoon ‘yung kaba and ‘yung pressure na hindi madala ‘yung sarili but at the end of first set, na-overcome namin ‘yung pressure,” said Progella.

The team, supported by the Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine Sports Commission, celebrated the country's best finish in the event since beach volleyball was introduced at the 1994 Asian Games in Hiroshima.

The bronze came less than 24 hours after Progella and Pagara saw their gold-medal hopes dashed in the semifinals.

Early exits haunt Filipino judokas at Asiad

c/o POC/PSC Media

Three Filipino judokas fell one after the other on Friday in the Aichi-Nagoya 20th Asian Games with two-time Olympian Kiyomi Watanabe suffering an early exit after falling to Ekaterina Tokareva of Kazakhstan in the women's -78kgs round of 16  the Aichi International Arena.

Moving up to a heavier division, Watanabe engaged in a tight grip battle early on, with both athletes receiving a Shido penalty at the 0:46 mark.

But the Kazakh capitalized on an opening shortly after, executing a decisive throw to score an Ippon and advance to the quarterfinals.

Chino Sy Tancontian suffered a similar fate, succumbing to Japan’s Ryotaro Masuchi in the men's -100kg round of 16 action.

Going up against a formidable Japanese rival, Sy was put on the defensive early after Masuchi registered a Yuko just 12 seconds into the bout.

The Filipino judoka continued to battle for grip and positioning, but the Japanese athlete secured back-to-back Waza-ari scores to seal the victory via Ippon in 2 minutes and 1 second.

Also out of contention is Eskelen Kedo, who bowed to the UAE’s Magomedomar Magomedomarov via Ippon in the men’s +100kg round of 16, ending the Filipino judokas' bid in the quadrennial games.

Pinoy wrestlers get shutout in Asiad wrestling

Filipino wrestlers Joe Fer Callado and Jason Baucas suffered defeats in their respective bouts Thursday at the 20th Asian Games at the Nagoya City Inae Sports Center.

Callado was defeated by Uzbekistan’s Alisher Ganiev, 9-0, in the Men’s Greco-Roman 60kg.

While Baucas fell to Indonesia’s Andika Sulaeman by the same score in Men’s Greco-Roman 77kg.

Neither Filipino was able to put a point on the board, allowing their respective opponents to secure victories by technical superiority.

Callado and Baucas are supported by the Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine Sports Commission.

Yape doubles medal haul for Philippine taekwondo

Candelaria and Yape via POC/PSC Media

One more medal for poomsae.

Jeus Yape captured the bronze medal in the men’s individual poomsae competition Thursday at Toyohashi Gymnasium, adding another medal to the Philippines’ haul in the event.

Just hours after Juliana Candelaria claimed silver in the women’s individual event, Yape delivered a score of 9.0900 to secure third place.

“I’m happy po with my performance. Ginawa ko po ‘yung best ko, ginawa ko po lahat ng makakaya ko,” Yape said in an interview with One Sports.

South Korea’s Yun Kyusung topped the field with a score of 9.3800, while Thailand’s Navin Pinthasute took silver with 9.2800.

Coach Jeordan Domingez credited Yape for overcoming the pressure that comes with competing on the Asian stage.

“I’m so happy for him. I know the feeling because we also competed in this competition before, and I’m very happy and proud of Jeus, together with Mika, because they conquered that fear [of pressure],” Domingez said.

Yape, meanwhile, vowed to build on his performance as he looks ahead to his upcoming competitions.

“Right now I’m happy sa journey ko po, and I’ll just keep moving forward,” he said.

Yape will switch to VR mode as he sees action in virtual taekwondo round of 16 on Friday, 10am (Manila time).

Taekwondo, supported by the Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine Sports Commission, now has two medals courtesy of poomsae.

Paalam goes for gold

c/o POC/PSC Media

Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Carlo Paalam gets his chance to end a 16-year Philippine boxing gold drought when he takes on Japan’s 22-year-old hometown favorite Rui Yamaguchi in the men’s 55kg final of the 20th Asian Games on Friday at Nishio Gymnasium.

The 28-year-old Paalam punched his ticket to the gold-medal bout after surviving Kazakhstan’s reigning world champion Makhmud Sabyrkhan via a 3-2 split decision on Wednesday, assuring the Philippines of at least a silver medal.

Now, Paalam faces a different challenge in Yamaguchi, a young Japanese fighter carrying the boxing hopes of his nation.

A victory by Paalam in the 12:15 p.m. bout (Philippine time) would give the Philippines its first Asian Games boxing gold since Rey Saludar ruled the 52kg division at the 2010 Guangzhou Games. It would also give Paalam his first Asian Games silver or gold after bagging bronze in Jakarta in 2018 and falling short in the quarterfinals at Hangzhou in 2023.

“Hindi mo masasabi ang puwedeng mangyari sa ring, basta ilalabas ko ang best ko,” Paalam said after his gritty victory in the semifinals against Sabyrkhan, whom he had previously beaten in the 2022 Asian Elite Boxing Championships.

But the Japanese won’t be a pushover.

Yamaguchi switched from kickboxing to boxing during middle school and developed into a highly regarded Japanese amateur. He won Japan’s national championship at 51kg in 2024, before moving up to 55kg with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics in mind.

Yamaguchi has already accumulated significant international experience despite his age, having fought in the 2025 World Boxing Championships and is the reigning 2026 Asian champion at 55kg.

His run to the championship bout has been nothing short of spectacular, with victories Kyrgyzstan’s Zafarbek Shakirzhanovich, Jordan's Huthaifa Eshish and Mongolia's Bilguunsaikhan Kharkhuu, all coming via the 5-0 verdict.

“Carlo’s Japanese opponent is currently ranked no. 2 in the world and has the height and reach advantage. Carlo is more experienced and has the speed advantage. Just really depends on who will be able to execute the competition plan,” said Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines president Marcus Manalo. “But I’m sure Carlo will be up to the challenge.”

Candelaria secures silver in Asiad poomsae

Making her Asian Games debut at 18 years old, Juliana Candelaria delivered a silver-medal performance in the women’s individual poomsae competition Thursday at the Toyohashi Gymnasium.

Candelaria scored 9.1300 in the gold-medal contest to finish second behind South Korea’s Jung Haeun, who took the gold with 9.3100. Thailand’s Thitaree Kaewolanwasu claimed the bronze with 9.0400.

She earned a 9.200 score in her recognized poomsae routine before posting 9.060 in the freestyle round.

“Amazing. I feel great about everything,” Candelaria told One Sports. “It’s such an amazing achievement for me. It’s my first Asian Games.”

“Super duper thankful to everyone. My family, my coaches, my teammates,” she added.

Coach Rani Ortega credited the team’s collective effort for Candelaria’s podium finish, which gave the Philippines its fifth silver medal of the Asian Games.

Candelaria joins Jean Claude Saclag (MMA), Marie June Adriano (karate), the Philippine women’s sepak takraw team, and Amaya Amparo Cojuangco (archery) as the country’s other silver medalists.

“Ang mati-take ko [na lesson] here is live in the moment, kasi what I did in this competition is to enjoy and just be grateful for everything,” Candelaria said.

“Hard work really pays off, with the trust and teamwork of all of us, kaya talaga. Kaya,” Ortega adds.

Cojuangco earns historic Asiad medal for Philippine archery

Longtime national team mainstay Amaya Amparo Cojuangco has officially etched her name into the annals of Philippine sports history, capturing a landmark silver medal in the women’s individual of compound archery finals at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Multipurpose Square.   

A seasoned veteran who has proudly carried the flag for years, Cojuangco delivered the greatest performance by a Filipino archer on the continental stage, becoming the first from the Philippines to ever reach an Asian Games gold medal match. 

Her silver finish surpasses the country's previous best Asian Games compound result—a bronze medal won by Paul Marton Dela Cruz back in 2014.   

Cojuangco's path to the podium was nothing short of spectacular. In the quarterfinals, she dominated 𝗜𝗿𝗮𝗻'𝘀𝗕𝗶𝘁𝗮 𝗔𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗴𝗵𝘇𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗵 𝗢𝘀𝗸𝗼𝘂𝗲𝗶, 𝟭𝟰𝟲-𝟭𝟯𝟱, firing three perfect 30-point ends in the second, third, and fifth games. 

She followed that up with a massive, nerve-wracking 𝟭𝟰𝟮-𝟭𝟰𝟭 𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘂𝗽𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗞𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗴𝘆𝗼𝗼𝗻 to book her historic finals berth.   

In the gold medal showdown against Indonesia's Nurisa Dian Ashrifah, the Filipina veteran fought tooth and nail down to the final arrow.

Cojuangco matched Ashrifah with a 28-all opening end and even took the third end, 29-29, before ultimately falling just two points shy in a razor-close 137-139 battle.

PaElla tandem falter in Asiad beach volleyball semifinal

The Alas Pilipinas duo Khy Progella and Sofiah Pagara bowed to Thailand’s Taravadee Naraphonapat and Worapeerachayakorn Kongphopsarutawadee, 21-23, 18-21, in the semifinals to kiss their gold medal hopes goodbye in 20th Asian Games women’s beach volleyball action on Thursday at Hekinan Ryokuchi Beach Court.

Progella and Pagara were poised to take the first set, 19-15, before the Thais countered to take the set point, 20-19.

The Filipinos, supported by the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee, saved a point twice, but the Thais denied their attempt. The first set loss is the first set dropped by the young Alas duo in the tournament.

“Nandun na kami sa moment na kaya namin makuha yung panalo kaso kulangan lang kami sa tiwala sa pinakadulo na kaya talaga namin” said Progella.

In the second set, Progella and Pagara was up, 14-12, but Naraphonapat and Kongphopsarutawadee went on with a 6-0 run six to snatch the lead, 18-14, en route to seal the victory.

Naraphonapat and Kongphopsarutawadee also eliminated Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons from contention in the quarterfinals, 17-21, 21-12, 13-15, on Wednesday.

Progella and Pagara still have a shot at the bronze on Friday when they face China’s Cao Shuting and Dong Jie.

“Mindset namin for the bronze is pinakalast push na namin since last game na for Asian Games so why not all out na at mas sosobrahan pa ang tiwala sa sarili na kaya namin,” said Progella.

PATAFA sees optimism after three-medal Asiad

c/o POC/PSC Media

More than the medals the national track and field team delivered, the 20th Asian Games proclaimed with unmistakable force the dawn of a new era in Philippine athletics.

At the center of this resurgence stands Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) president Terry Capistrano, whose leadership, vision, and relentless push for excellence have transformed a once‑quiet program into one of the nation’s most dynamic sporting forces.

For the first time since Lydia de Vega’s 1986 gold medal in the 100m and silver in the 200m, the Philippines returned to the Asian Games track podium, not once, but twice. And for Capistrano, the breakthrough is only the beginning.

“The future is bright. We have quite a number of athletes who have shown their might,” said Capistrano said, reflecting on the team’s performance. ``You now have a team that you can seriously say has stepped up to another level.”

Across a week of fierce competition, the national team, whose participation is also supported by ICTSI and Bloomberry Cultural Foundation, pieced together a three‑medal performance that signaled both progress and promise in succeeding top-tier competitions.

EJ Obiena soared to pole vault gold, reaffirming his dominance in Asia in another record-breaking feat. John Cabang Tolentino battled through rain and injury to seize bronze in the men’s 110m hurdles.

And in the women’s 800m, Victoria Bossong delivered a breakout run, claiming bronze in her Asian Games debut.

“Terry Capistrano is God’s gift to Philippine athletics. You will rarely see a sports leader who has the resources, management expertise, passion to excel and precious time for his athletes and association,” said Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Patrick Gregorio.

“He’s also gifted with vision, great PR, personality and sense of humor and knows how to celebrate. Thank you, president Terry. Mabuhay ang Philippine athletics,” added the PSC chief.

It was a haul that marked the rebirth of a program ready to contend with the continent’s best.

“We’ve been concentrating on EJ the previous years, now we also concentrate on these two (Cabang Tolentino and Bossong). We’ll build a team around them,’’ said Capistrano.

``Now, we’ll try to have a team around each of these players. We have to do this full time. At least 50 percent of their time devoted for training. We need physiotherapists and therapists, and a psychologist if necessary,” said Capistrano.

He also highlighted the rising potential of Yacine Guermali, whose performance in the 5000m showed that the Philippines now has depth in events once dominated by regional powerhouses.

“I think with Bossong, Cabang and Yacine, we have a pretty formidable team plus of course EJ. If we talk about the SEA Games, we’ll be fine and we’ll be competitive in other bigger tournaments as well,’’ said Capistrano.

ML:BB stunner ends SIBOL's Asiad participation

Sibol’s 20th Asian Games campaign came to an abrupt end on Wednesday after a stunning quarterfinal loss to regional rival Indonesia in the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang esports event at Aichi Sky Expo Hall.

The Philippines, represented by the core of three-time MPL Philippines champion Team Liquid, was off to a rough start as Indonesia’s aggressive start repeatedly disrupted Sibol’s plans throughout the series.

“Sobrang dami naming errors and tingin ko hindi namin nalaro ‘yung laro talaga namin. Hindi ko expect na matatalo kami,” said Karl “KarlTzy” Nepomuceno.

The Philippines endured a rough start as Indonesia seized Game 1, 22-19.

Sibol, supported by the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee, countered and evened the best-of-three series, 14-5, in Game 2.

But Sibol failed to find its footing in Game 3, as the Indonesians took control and closed out the match, 12-6.

Composing the MLBB squad are Nepomuceno, Sanford “Sanford” Vinuya, Alston “Sanji” Pabico, Jaypee “Jaypee” Dela Cruz, Dave “Teddy” Viana, and Duane “Kelra” Pillas.

Earlier in the day, Sibol’s Identity V squad also saw its Asian Games bid end also in a 0-2 quarterfinals loss to Malaysia.

The losses marked the end of Sibol’s campaign in the Asian Games, with the Philippines’ esports delegation delivering bronze medals in both Honor of Kings and Pokémon UNITE.

SIBOL now in last eight of Asiad ML:BB, Identity V

SIBOL swept its group stage campaign to advance to the quarterfinals of the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang esports event in the 20th Asian Games on Tuesday at Aichi Sky Expo Hall.

The Philippines defeated Jordan, 2-0, early in the day, and shocked Kazakhstan, 2-0, later in the evening.

“Masaya po, pero ’di pa rin kami magpapakampante kasi ’yung next namin na makakalaban is Indonesia, kaya need talaga namin mas galingan pa,” said Karl “KarlTzy” Nepomuceno.

Sibol, which holds a perfect record (2-0) to top Pool C, will face rival Indonesia in the quarterfinals on Wednesday at 11:50am (Manila time).

Earlier in the day, Sibol bounced back from back-to-back losses to take down Indonesia, 2-1, and advance to the quarterfinals of the Identity V esports event.

After losing Game 1, 3-5, the Philippines made the necessary adjustments and regrouped just in time to pull off a, 5-3, victory in Game 2 and, 7-2 win in Game 3.

Sibol finished third in Pool A and will take on Pool B top seed Malaysia in the quarterfinals.

Alas Pilipinas Men go winless in Asiad volleyball pool play

The Alas Pilipinas Men closed pool campaign in the Aichi-Nagoya 20th Asian Games with a 25-21, 20-25, 17-25, 27-29 loss to Chinese Taipei on Tuesday at the Okazaki Central Park Gymnasium.

It wasn’t the way the Alas Men wanted their campaign to be in the Asian Games.

“We performed good enough in the first set, I saw the eagerness and the will to win from my teammates,” team captain Bryan Bagunas said. “But when it comes to crucial points, how to deal with them, that’s where we lose our composure.”

Bagunas had 17 points and Joshua Magalaman 16 points for Alas Men in the one hour and 52-minute battle that sent the Filipinos to the classification round where they could finish at the best at ninth place like their women counterparts.

Summing up their performance in group play, Bagunas said they have what it takes to compete at a high level in the Asian Games.

“Our first two opponents are strong but the level of their game is not that high,” he said.

“We’re so close to what they can do on the court.”

For Bagunas, the priority is to carry the lessons from the pool stage into their remaining matches.

“We’re hoping to lessen our errors so we could snatch victories in the classification round,” he said.

SIBOL pulls off comeback to snatch Identity V quarterfinal berth

Asian Games

The Philippine esports team Sibol bounced back from a one-set deficit to overcome Indonesia, 2-1, and secure a spot in the quarterfinal round of the Identity V event at the 2026 Asian Games on Tuesday at the Aichi Sky Expo.

Rallying behind key plays from Johanne Juico and Joshua Gumaro, the seven-man Filipino squad dropped the opening set before dominating the next two with scores of 3-5, 5-3, and 7-2.

Sibol clinched qualification with a 1-2 record in Group A, surviving an initial rough stretch that saw them fall 0-2 to Thailand and drop their opener against Chinese Taipei.

Meanwhile, Indonesia’s squad, led by Daffa Arafan, was eliminated after three straight losses.

Joining the Philippines from Group A in the quarterfinal round are Thailand and Chinese Taipei. Advance qualifiers from Group B include Malaysia, Hong Kong, and South Korea.

Sibol takes on Group B contender Malaysia in the quarterfinals at 9 a.m. on Wednesday.

Paalam last man standing for Philippine boxing, set for much-awaited rematch

c/o POC/PSC media

Carlo Paalam is the last man standing for the six-strong Philippine men's boxing team at the 2026 Asian Games, and on his shoulders rides a 16-year drought.

The last time the Philippines won Asian Games boxing gold was in Guangzhou 2010. Since then — Incheon, Jakarta-Palembang, Hangzhou — bronze, heartbreak, and near-misses.

Wednesday at the Nishio Gymnasium, that drought either ends its long march toward gold, or continues.

Paalam punched his way into the medal round after outpointing China's Jiamao Zhang in the quarterfinals. The Tokyo Olympic silver medalist will now face the most dangerous man left in the draw: Kazakhstan's Makhmud Sabyrkhan.

It's a rematch four years in the making.

The two have met before, with Paalam defeating Sabyrkhan via a 4-1 split decision in the bantamweight final of the 2022 ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships in Amman, Jordan to claim the gold.

Paalam knows history won't help him. Sabyrkhan is not the same boy he beat in Amman.

Born September 9, 2001, the Kazakh has matured into a two-time world champion — silver at the 2021 AIBA World Championships, gold at the 2023 IBA World Championships after blanking Uzbekistan's Oybek Juraev 5-0 in the final. 

He represented Kazakhstan in the men's 57kg division at the 2024 Paris Olympics, then dropped to his ideal 55kg and dominated the 2025 WB World Boxing Championships. World Boxing voted him Best Boxer of 2025 for a reason.

Here in Nagoya, it's a chance for revenge for Sabyrkhan.

For Paalam and Philippine boxing, it's bigger than one fight. One win away from a guaranteed silver, two wins away from ending a gold drought that has lasted since Rey Saludar stood atop the podium in Guangzhou.

One Filipino left. One Kazakh world champion in his way.

Paalam through to semifinals in Asiad

c/o POC/PSC Media

Olympic silver medalist Carlo Paalam is through to the semifinals of the men’s 55-kilogram boxing event at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, edging China’s Jiamao Zhang via split decision on Monday afternoon at Nishio City General Gymnasium in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.

Paalam returned to the Asian Games with a clear goal of going beyond his bronze-medal finish at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games. After nearly a year away from competition and skipping the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand, the Filipino boxer showed he was ready for the big stage once again.

The 28-year-old Paalam immediately set the tone in the opening round, pressing forward and forcing Zhang toward the ropes. His aggressive start was rewarded as three judges gave him the round.

“Ang ginawa ko lang dito is ‘yung normal ko lang na ginagawa. Makinig sa mga coaches ko. Pag tinamaan ako, ibabalik ko ng mas malinis. Inisip ko na wag magmadali, kinokontrol ko lang yung emosyon ko. So, diskarte sa ibabaw ng ring talaga ‘yung nagpanalo din talaga sa akin,” he said.

Paalam will next face Makhmud Sabyrkhan of Kazakhstan, the 2025 world champion, in the men’s 55kg semifinal at the 2026 Asian Games.

The two boxers have met before, with Paalam defeating Sabyrkhan via a 4-1 split decision in the bantamweight final of the 2022 ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships in Amman, Jordan, on November 12, 2022, to claim the gold medal.

“Lahat naman kami rito preparado. Kung sino man nakalaban ko last year, iba na rin siya ngayon kasi nag ensayo na rin. Lahat kami rito taon-taon nag-iimprove. One step at a time lang. Walang lugar para magkamali ngayon oara maabit natin yung ginto para sa bansa.”

Zhang came back strong in the second, using his counters to disrupt Paalam’s rhythm and taking control of the early exchanges. But the Filipino adjusted as the round progressed, becoming more selective with his punches and finding success with cleaner combinations.

Paalam’s adjustments paid off, earning the nod of four judges in the second round.

The bout became more physical in the third. Zhang brought Paalam down to the canvas in one exchange, but the Filipino remained composed and returned to his game plan using his jab, movement and quick one-two combinations to finish the fight strongly.

When the final bell sounded, Paalam had done enough to secure the split-decision victory and punch his ticket to the semifinals.

Association of boxing Alliances in the Philippines President Marcus Manalo praised Paalam’s performance, saying the Filipino boxer set the tone early and did enough to secure his place in the medal round.

“He was able to set the tone and essentially finished the bout after two rounds. The last round he just have to maintain the lead na lang. Very proud of his performance at ngayong naka-apak na siya sa medal round, I’m sure he’s more motivated na ituloy-tuloy pa.”

The win keeps Paalam’s bid for another Asian Games medal alive as he looks to improve on his bronze from Jakarta and continue his return to the international boxing scene.

John Cabang Tolentino earns bronze at Asian Games

c/o POC/PSC Media

 

Olympian John Cabang Tolentino has officially conquered the Asian Games podium, delivering a historic bronze medal for the Philippines in the men's 110-meter hurdles final on Sunday night. 

Competing under the lights at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium, the Filipino track star clocked a season-best time of 13.48 seconds to secure his highly coveted medal. 

He finished closely behind China's Chen Yuanjiang, who captured the gold with a blazing 13.15 seconds, and Japan's Rachid Muratake, who took silver at 13.29 seconds. 

The hard-fought victory marks a monumental milestone for Philippine athletics, ending a decades-long medal drought in the continental hurdles events. 

The milestone marks the country's first Asiad hurdles medal since Elma Muros in 1990, and the first for a Filipino male hurdler since 1954. 

This breakthrough in Nagoya builds on the hurdler's incredible recent momentum. On December 12, 2025, Cabang Tolentino captured gold at the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Bangkok, Thailand, where he set a new SEA Games record of 13.66 seconds. 

His performance shattered the previous record of 13.69 seconds, which had been held by Thailand's Jamras Rittidet since 2015. 

"I'm very happy. It was just a lot of self-pressure, and I just did it," an emotional Cabang Tolentino shared after the race. 

Having narrowly missed the podium with a heartbreaking fourth-place finish at the previous Hangzhou Games, the hurdler emphasized the unyielding mindset that fueled his redemption arc. 

"I came here... to any competition, always to win," he declared. 

Acknowledging the grueling physical and mental journey required to compete against Asia's elite, he reflected on what kept him moving forward. 

"Even in the hard times, I kept pushing... I was always dreaming about this," he added. 

Cabang Tolentino dedicated the historic triumph to his core support system: his coach, his family, his girlfriend, and the entire nation. 

With an Asian Games bronze and a SEA Games record now firmly in his grasp, the athletic standout is already looking toward the ultimate sporting stage. 

"I'm gonna go for LA Olympics," he affirmed.

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.

Alas Pilipinas Men drops opening Asiad assignment

The Alas Pilipinas Men opened its Aichi-Nagoya 20th Asian Games campaign with a 25-16, 27-25, 25-22 loss to South Korea on Sunday at the Park Arena Komaki.

But the defeat, according to team captain Bryan Bagunas, was only part of the challenges facing the team.

“Medyo madami kaming errors talaga, kailangan namin manage errors namin,” Bagunas said.

The Philippines struggled to close out sets, with South Korea pulling away when it mattered most.

“Nandun na e. Siguro yung finishing lang e, dun kami nagkakamali pag patapos na yung set. Need namin manage yung errors,” he said.

Bagunas also pointed to their limited preparation as the team had only been training with Joshua Retamar for two days for the Asian Games.

“Siguro isa yung serving namin… two days pa lang kami training with Owa [Retamar],” Bagunas said.

Bagunas said he has been reminding the younger players to use the Asian Games as an opportunity to gain exposure, particularly with the possibility of playing overseas in the future.

“Sabi namin itong Asian Games malaking tulong para sa amin lalo na para sa mga bata, exposure na rin nila,” he said. “Kung makakapaglaro overseas as import, makikita sila dito.”

“So yun na lang sinasabi ko sa kanila, minomotivate ko na lang sila na laban lang natin ito and sana in the future mas okay yung suporta na dadating sa amin. Tuloy-tuloy lang.” Despite the difficult situation, Bagunas made sure to acknowledge the fans who traveled to Japan to support the team. 

“Talagang nagpapasalamat talaga kami sa lahat ng fans na pumunta pa dito sa Japan para suportahan kami. Talagang di naffeel yung walang suporta from the fans. Nandiyan kayo, manalo o matalo.”