The popularity of pickleball in the country is really growing to the point that it caught the attention of American pickleball sensation Anna Leigh Waters.

Waters is set to bring her world-class game back to the Philippines on December 9, headlining the IAM Worldwide Pickleball Showdown at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in another major boost to the sport’s growing popularity in the country.

Widely regarded as the world’s top pickleball player, Waters,19, confirmed her return during a press conference at Dusit Thani Manila in Makati on Thursday, capping a three-day Philippine visit as part of the Franklin Asia Pickleball Showcase.

To recall, Waters collected more than 200 Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) titles and her too upcoming appearance offers Filipino enthusiasts another chance to witness one of the sport’s most accomplished athletes, whose dominance in women’s singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles has helped propel pickleball into the international spotlight.

Waters has also completed the prestigious Triple Gold Sweep in the United States, underscoring her versatility and supremacy across all three competitive divisions.

“It’s definitely been more. I didn’t really know what to expect coming here, but I’m glad I honestly had no expectations because I’ve just had some of the best three days of my life visiting this new place,” Waters said.

Waters admitted being particularly impressed by the enthusiasm of Filipino supporters, many of whom were already familiar with her achievements despite never having met her personally.

Her Philippine engagement was organized by Franklin Sports, her official equipment partner, and IAM Worldwide, a health and wellness company that tapped her as its global sports ambassador.IMT Sports

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Aquino said the 29 medals won by the 447-member Philippine delegation in the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan showed what Filipino athletes can accomplish with proper training and support.

The Philippines finished with four golds, nine silvers and 16 bronzes in the September 19 to October 4 games.

The haul was the country’s biggest since winning 42 medals in the 1966 Asian Games in Bangkok. It also surpassed the 18 medals won in the 2022 edition.

In Senate Resolution No. 702, Aquino praised the athletes and called for sustained investment in grassroots sports, training, facilities, coaches and other support programs.

The four gold medals came from Carlos Edriel Yulo in men’s vault and floor exercise, EJ Obiena in pole vault, and Jesus Gabriel Derick Yape in mixed individual virtual taekwondo.

Aquino said the medalists were proof that Filipino athletes can compete at the highest level, but stressed that more young athletes need opportunities to develop their talents.

“With the valiant effort of our Filipino athletes in their respective events, the Philippines delivered an impressive performance, garnering four (4) gold medals, nine (9) silver medals, and sixteen (16) bronze medals across various sports,” he said.

He said the performance should push the government to strengthen sports development at the grassroots level so more Filipino athletes can reach the national and international stage.IMT Sports

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The two-time Olympic gold medalist scored 14.666 points on a 5.7 difficulty to beat Milad Karimi of Kazakhstan, who scored 14.600 on a 5.7 difficulty.

Japan’s Shoma Tsukiyama settled for the bronze medal with 14.566 points on a 5.6 difficulty.

Yulo bagged the gold medals in both floor exercise and vault events at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Meanwhile, Mazel Paris and Jericho Francisco advanced to the final rounds of their respective skateboarding events at the Aichi Sky Expo.

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. For tomorrow, I’m gonna pray to land my runs and to have fun,” Paris said in a news release from the Philippine Olympic Committee.

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

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

The finals are set for Friday, Sept. 25, 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.PNA

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Jia Morado-Ge Duzman will serve as the team captain in a list submitted by the Philippine Olympic Committee.

She will be backed up by powerhouse duo of Bella Belen and Eya Laure, the trio that gave Alas’ historic breakthrough during the second leg of the Southeast Asian Volleyball Cup last month.

To recall, the team captured the silver medal in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Also included in the Asian Games pool is the returning Angel Canino, who missed the past SEA V. Cup legs due to prior commitment with the De La Salle University Lady Spikers.

A notable addition to Alas is Amie Provido, Canino’s teammate at DLSU, who was chosen to address the squad’s middle blocking woes.

Completing the team are Mars Alba, Alyssa Solomon, Erika Santos, Thea Gagate, Dell Palomata, Dawn Macandili-Catindig, and Justine Jazareno.

The team will be mentored by head coach Taka Minowa, with the team most likely fly to Japan and represent the PHL when the preliminary round kicks off on Sept. 16, 2026.

Alas will immediately face tough assignments after being drawn with World No. 7 China and World No. 39 Kazakhstan in Group B of the tournament.IMT Sports

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Fresh from two successful stops that drew nearly 7,000 participants in Manila and 2,000 in Clark, the EastWest Dream Run 2026 heads to Atria Park District in Iloilo City on September 20 for the third leg of its four-part race series, bringing its community of dreamers to one of the country’s most vibrant destinations.

Organized by RUNRIO, the event is part of the Bank’s support for the Department of Tourism’s Love the Philippines campaign, showcasing Iloilo City as an emerging destination for sports tourism.

“The strong turnout in Manila and Clark shows that Filipinos are eager to pursue their goals and live healthier lives. Through the EastWest Dream Run, we’re excited to bring that same spirit to Iloilo and inspire more dreamers to take their next step forward,” said Martin Reyes, EastWest Chief Marketing Officer.

Runners of all ages and experience levels can take part in the event through the 1K Dog Run, 3K, 5K, 10K, and 21K categories. In addition to race-day bragging rights, participants can look forward to exclusive race merchandise and finisher rewards, including a race bib, race singlet, finisher’s medal, loot bag, finisher’s towel, a 21K finisher’s shirt, and a dog bandana for Dog Run participants.

Beyond the race kit and finisher rewards, participants can also look forward to a scenic race experience in the heart of Iloilo City.

Starting and ending at Atria Park District, runners will traverse some of Iloilo City’s broad, well-maintained roads and modern urban corridors. With its walkable streets, clean environment, and active lifestyle culture, Iloilo City provides an ideal setting for runners aiming for both performance and enjoyment.

“Iloilo has steadily become one of the Philippines’ emerging running hubs, with a community that embraces an active and healthy lifestyle,” said Coach Rio de la Cruz, Founder of RUNRIO. “We’re excited to bring the Dream Run experience here and give runners a course that’s both enjoyable and rewarding.”

EastWest cardholders can make their race weekend even more rewarding through the EastWest Dream Run P500 Rebate Promo, allowing eligible participants to enjoy savings on their registration when they use their qualified EastWest credit card.

After crossing the finish line, runners can recharge at the EastWest Horizons Recovery Lounge, a dedicated post-race space designed to help participants cool down, relax, and recover. The lounge offers massage and yoga sessions as part of EastWest’s commitment to delivering a premium race-day experience that supports runners beyond the finish line.

Runners can also look forward to exciting raffle prizes, giveaways, and special treats from EastWest and its partners, including Filinvest, Filinvest Land Inc., Visa, EastWest Ageas, Ford, Power Mac Center, Toby’s Sports, Nutribullet, Dyson, Columbia Sportswear, Saucony, Colgate, Palmolive, Mogu Mogu, Pond’s, Clear, Chlorelief, and Salonpas.

For the Iloilo leg, EastWest is also partnering with local businesses such as Aqua Sure, Beauty Essentials Facial Care Center, DC Fitness, GT Malls, NIG Marketing, Cluck Sarap, and Golden Boy Petshop, highlighting the Bank’s commitment to celebrating and supporting the communities it serves.

With race day fast approaching, runners are encouraged to register as soon as possible before slots fill up: https://raceroster.com/events/2026/116483/eastwest-dream-run-2026-iloilo

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Della, a Palarong Pambansa standout, carried his winning form onto the international stage, finishing the 10-kilometer race in two hours and 20 seconds over the 1.66-kilometer course overlooking the Sibuyan Sea.

To recall, he entered the regional competition fresh from a dominant showing at the recent Palarong Pambansa in Agusan del Sur, where he bagged four gold medals.

The native of La Union also narrowly missed a podium finish in the overall open division, ending just five seconds behind Vietnam’s bronze medalist Van Dung Cao, who clocked 2:00.15.

Meanwhile, Vietnamese swimmer Ngoc Vin Dho topped the race in 1:58.30, while Morocco’s Mochammad Taufik finished in 2:00.06.

The Philippines collected another podium finish through Dianna Celyn Cruz, who secured bronze in the women’s 20-and-above age group after completing the race in 2:48.17.

Cruz placed 16th overall among 20 competitors in the women’s open division, where Vietnam’s Kha Ni Nguyen and Huynh Tu Uyen Le claimed the top two spots.

Filipino swimmers also swept the podium in the girls’ 16-17 3K festival event, with Bella Aaliya Pano leading the 1-2-3 Philippine finish with a gold-medal time of 40:11.49, followed by Dominique Gabrielle Lepaco at 50:25.27 and Samantha Dainyhel Jamelarin at 50:30.06.

Sharing the spotlight was 85-year-old Ilonggo swimmer Vernan Certeza of Jaro, Iloilo, the oldest participant in the men’s 3K festival event.

Certeza completed the three-kilometer swim in just under 90 minutes.

Organized by Philippine Aquatics Inc. and sanctioned by the Southeast Asian Swimming Federation, the event was supported by the Aklan provincial government and the municipal government of Malay.IMT Sports

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Known for its white beach resorts and extreme water sports, Boracay is set to host the 4th Southeast Asia Open Water Swimming Championships, presented by the Philippine Sports Commission.

The event will be staged at Boracay Newcoast in Malay, Aklan, with Philippine Aquatics Inc. (PAI) assuring that athlete safety will be the overriding priority during the three-day regional meet.

According to PAI vice president Jojo Quilop, the safety of all the athletes is their top priority now, ensuring they will have a secure and safety environment during the competition.

“What PAI and the local organizing committee have done is submit a comprehensive plan to Asia Aquatics on the safety protocols, including how many kayaks, rubber life boats and jet skis that will be required for the meet, for its approval,” Quilop revealed.

The Philippine Coast Guard and Philippine National Police will also provide support once the regional competition gets underway as coordination has also been undertaken with disaster risk reduction and management authorities in Aklan, with another round of discussions scheduled with officials in Malay.

The competition course will be located within the resort island’s cove “so that the waters and weather will be calmer compared to the other side of Boracay.

Philippine Lifesaving will reinforce the safety contingent by deploying five highly trained volunteer lifeguards each day of competition.

“One of Philippine Lifesaving’s 68 centers nationwide is in Boracay so we will send five volunteer lifeguards daily during the competition to supplement and complement whatever safety requirements that are needed by the organizers,” Philippine Lifesaving secretary general DJ Salonga said.IMT Sports

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Both senators said Eala deserves recognition for becoming the first Filipino to win a Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) singles championship.

Pangilinan said Eala’s victory is a triumph for the entire country and proof that Filipino athletes can compete with the world’s best through hard work, discipline and sacrifice.

He also stressed the need for the government to invest more in sports programs, quality training and better facilities to help produce more world-class Filipino athletes.

For his part, Villar said Eala’s latest achievement further cemented her place as the country’s greatest female tennis player after climbing to a career-high world No. 20.

He also praised the 21-year-old athlete for remaining humble despite her growing success and expressed confidence that she can achieve even greater milestones, including winning a Grand Slam title in the future.

Eala won the Washington tournament after defeating world No. 3 Jessica Pegula in a come-from-behind three-set final, becoming the first Filipino to capture a WTA Tour singles crown.IMT

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In a Facebook post, Treñas said that from August 2025 to June 2026, a total of 18,323 children and youth enrolled in various sports activities organized by the city government.

She said Iloilo City also conducted 85 sports programs, leagues and tournaments, along with 1,397 regular training sessions, to help young athletes discover and develop their talents.

Treñas said the city will continue expanding opportunities for the youth through sports, stressing that athletic activities teach more than just winning competitions.

“[N]agapati gid ako nga ang sports wala lang nagatudlo kon paano magdaog. Ginatudluan man sini ang aton mga kabataan kon paano magbangon pagkatapos sang kapierdihan, magrespeto, magbinuligay, kag magpadayon bisan mabudlay,” she said.

(Sports teach our children how to recover from defeat, respect others, work as a team, and keep going even when life gets difficult.)

The mayor added that while medals are worth celebrating, the values and discipline learned through sports are even more important because these help shape the character of the city’s young people as they prepare for their future.IMT

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MPBL permanently banned Bacolod’s players and coaches, following the team’s controversial July 28 defeat to the Bulacan Kuyas.

The sanctions came after scrutiny of Bacolod’s 100-64 loss at the Cuneta Astrodome, where the MassKara failed to score a field goal over the final 7:48 of the contest, fueling allegations of possible game-fixing that quickly spread across social media.

In a statement, the league said Red Cards had been issued to those involved.

The league added that “all individuals served with Red Cards are permanently banned from the league” and confirmed that “the franchise’s participation for the remainder of the season has been cancelled.”

The MPBL clarified that the sanctions are administrative while a full investigation remains underway.

“The League stresses that these measures are preventive and administrative as the league will continue its investigation together with relevant government agencies,” it said.

Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya also called for a formal investigation by both the MPBL and the Games and Amusements Board (GAB), stressing that Bacolod’s name should never be linked to game-fixing or illegal betting activities.

The MPBL disclosed that the Bacolod franchise had previously been placed under scrutiny, with some team members receiving Yellow Cards earlier this season over separate incidents flagged by the Office of the Commissioner.IMT Sports

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