Ernest John “EJ” Obiena was on easy street on home grounds. In the three weeks that he was in the Philippines for much-needed R&R, the world’s No. 3 pole vaulter was peppered with profit-making deals that made him ambassador of top consumer brands. Of course, there were also the mandatory courtesy calls to various sports...
Category: Sports
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Alex Eala notches a first for the motherland
It took just three years, and it was sweet. This time, no one will be in any position to ask the Filipino tennis sensation Alexandra “Alex” Eala whether she’d ever win a Grand Slam singles title. Last Sept. 4, the 17-year-old lefty claimed her first junior Grand Slam singles title at the 2022 US Open,...
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‘Pamana’: Archery enthusiasts aim at heritage target
Every Tuesday and Friday on a grassy lot behind the University of the Philippines’ (UP) Albert Hall in Diliman, Quezon City, archery enthusiasts are shooting arrows at a circular straw target from different distances. Rather than hitting the bull’s eye and running up points as in competitive archery, they are focused on perfecting the athletic...
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Celebrating multi-identities and diversity
This year, Philippine sports got a big boost by the performance of its women’s national football team. In February, the team, Filipinas, reached the semifinals of the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup, thus qualifying for the FIFA Women’s World Cup. In May, it copped a first-ever medal finish (bronze) at the 31st Southeast Asian Games. And...
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Filipinas, new queen of AsEan football, raises the bar higher
Since it broke into the semifinals of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup last February—which resulted in its inclusion in one of the sport’s biggest stages, the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023—the Philippine women’s national football team has been raising the bar ever higher. Only last May, the Filipinas, as the team is now...
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Lessons to learn from the heartbreak in Hanoi
We wouldn’t have minded the Philippines’ fourth-place finish in the medal tally of the 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Hanoi, Vietnam. Even a fifth place would have been acceptable, as the Philippines was in that rank two days before the last set of matches were played on May 22. What was heart-breaking was the...
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No longer the host, but a 3rd-place SEAG finish for PH is still sweet
Host country advantage: This explains why Vietnam, the host of this year’s 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) is well ahead of its rivals in the medal standing. At this writing, Vietnam has bagged 99 gold, 65 silver and 64 bronze medals, or a total of 228. Thailand is at No. 2 with 43 gold, 44...
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SEAG 1981: Hats off to the heroes
The ongoing Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam provoked this reminiscence from a journalist who covered the event hosted by the Philippines in December 1981. — ED. SYDNEY, Australia—The flag patch on the left breast of the barong shirt confirmed it: This was the official uniform of Filipino athletes competing in the Southeast Asian Games (SEAG)...