Gilas Pilipinas gained massive momentum as the squad gears up for the all-important Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in July. The kings of Asian basketball flexed their muscles with a dominant 106-53 victory against a highly touted Chinese Taipei in the first window of the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers, Sunday night at the PhilSports Arena....
Tag: sports
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Kai Sotto dominates as Gilas crushes Hong Kong
Gilas Pilipinas ushered in their new era in spectacular fashion. In the team’s first FIBA-sanctioned game with coach Tim Cone at the helm, the Philippines overwhelmed Hong Kong, 94-64, to kick-start their campaign in the first window of the 2025 Asia Cup qualifiers at Tsuen Wan Stadium in Hong Kong on Thursday night. Playing without...
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Filipino surfer foils Japanese sweep at inaugural international pro finals
SABANG BEACH, Baler, Quezon—World-ranked Filipino surfer Rogelio Esquivel Jr. ruled the thrilling longboard men’s finals of the weeklong first staging of the World Surf League’s (WSL) Baler International Pro tournament here on Tuesday. With his victory, Esquivel, 26, a member of the national team from San Juan, La Union, topped the Longboard Qualifying Series (LQS)...
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Jiu-jitsu is more than a source of gold-medal pride
Did you know that the United Arab Emirates regards jiu-jitsu as its national sport? Jiu-jitsu, which originated in ninth-century Japan and whose style was later adopted and modified in Brazil in the 1920s (hence the name Brazilian jiu-jitsu), has been a compulsory subject in the UAE’s public schools since 2008. It is now integrated into...
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The Philippines at the 19th Asiad: highs and lows
With the close of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, on Oct. 8, the Philippines can take solace in the fact that with four gold medals, it has at least matched its harvest in the 2018 edition of the quadrennial tournament held in Jakarta, Indonesia. With 4 gold, 2 silver, and 12 bronze medals,...
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Filipino athletes at Asiad eye golds, ticket to 2024 Paris Olympics
The biggest Asian Games (Asiad) in history opens on Sept. 23 in Hangzhou, China, with over 12,000 athletes participating, or more than the 2020 Tokyo Olympics’ 11,420. For the 395 Filipino athletes competing in 37 sports from Sept. 23 to Oct. 8, the 19th edition of the quadrennial event—which was delayed a year due to...
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Calm before the storm, no panic for coach Cone
Gilas Pilipinas may have been confronted by major issues these past few weeks, but there was a distinct calm on Sept. 14 at Philsports Arena in Pasig City, where the team engaged in a late-afternoon practice session open to the public. Newly named Gilas head coach Tim Cone did not seem fazed that he has...
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Gilas Pilipinas trounces China, 96-75, salvages FIBA World Cup pride
It’s one win that meant little in terms of the standing at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, but so much for millions of Filipinos unhappy with the state of their national basketball program and aching for relief from a string of defeats. Before an 11,000-plus crowd that packed the Smart-Araneta Coliseum last night (Sept....
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Philippine paddlers win in Dragon Boat World Cup
YICHANG-XINGTAI, China—Dagun Pilipinas Dragon Boat Team reaped several awards in two separate races held recently in the cities of Yichang and Xingtai in celebration of China’s Dragon Boat Festival. The Philippine delegation won four bronze medals in the 200-meter mixed 10-seater and 8-seater, the women’s 10-seater, and the 2000-meter mixed 8-seater categories at the 2023...
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Gilas’ redemption and 6 more golds for the Philippines in Phnom Penh
Not even the record-setting jump of Olympian and world No. 3 EJ Obiena—who bagged his third consecutive Southeast Asian Games pole vault gold medal—could have softened the blow. Neither could the record-smashing performances of Elreen Ando and Vanessa Sarno that earned them gold medals in their respective weightlifting events. Even gymnastics star Carlos Yulo’s medal...