Breakthrough moments highlight Philippine sports in 2025

MANILA, Philippines, December 31 ------ Alex Eala was at the forefront of an eventful Philippine sports scene in 2025, taking the country to greater heights through her emphatic breakout year. Inquirer looks back on a busy year for Philippine sports, with Eala consistently delivering, from the opening quarter of the Women’s Tennis Association season to the Grand Slams and a historic finish in the Southeast Asian Games.

The Miami Open proved to be Eala’s springboard, launching a season that saw her make her Grand Slam main-draw debut, win her first-ever WTA title, break into the world’s top 50, and deliver the country’s first SEA Games women’s singles gold in close to three decades. Eala, a wild card at the Miami Open–a WTA 1000 tournament, shocked the world by taking down three Grand Slam champions–the first-ever Filipino and wild card entry to do it in history, upsetting Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys, and Iga Swiatek. In the semifinals, Eala pushed eventual runner-up Jessica Pegula to the limit before bowing out. Though her Miami run ended there, it marked the beginning of her rise, as she jumped to the WTA top 75 from No. 147 at the start of 2025.

Team Philippines finished sixth in the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand with 50 gold, 73 silver, and 154 bronze medals after fielding its largest delegation ever with more than 1,600 athletes and officials. While the total gold medal count fell short of the targets set by the Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine Sports Commission, officials were encouraged by the rise of new heroes and standout performances across various sports. Aside from Eala, EJ Obiena won his fourth SEA Games gold with a meet record 5.70 meters in pole vault. Agatha Wong claimed her sixth gold in wushu, while Kayla Sanchez led swimming with eight medals.

Olympic double gold medalist Carlos Yulo reaffirmed his place among the world’s elite gymnasts in 2025. Following his historic run in the Paris Olympics last year, Yulo won the men’s vault crown at the 53rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Jakarta, Indonesia. He is now a three-time gold medalist in the event after winning the vault in 2021 and floor exercise in 2019. Yulo also won a bronze medal in the World Championship in the floor exercise.

This was the year of the Philippine men’s volleyball. The Alas Pilipinas men didn’t disappoint as the host of the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship, proving it was more than just an outright participant. After a shaky opening loss to Tunisia, the Filipino Spikers bounced back behind Bryan Bagunas’ leadership, Leo Ordiales’ emergence, and Marck Espejo’s historic game-winning block to score a breakthrough victory against former African champion Egypt. That victory kept the Filipinos in contention for the knockout stage and fueled belief that the program was on the right path.

Miguel Tabuena, the former child wonder, beat the big boys of the International Series by ruling the Philippine stop on his home course in October. After shooting a seven-under-par 65 for the third straight day, the 31-year-old Tabuena blasted all pursuers to win the $2 million event by three shots, being the best in a birdie-fest among a slew of bets at the well-manicured Sta. Elena layout. Tabuena tallied 264 and third round co-leaders Sampson Zheng of China and Thailand’s Sirat Suwannarut simply couldn’t keep in step with the prolific Filipino.

The Philippines opened the year with one of its most unexpected sporting breakthroughs, capturing its first-ever Asian Winter Games gold medal in February in Harbin. The team was led by Marc Pfister, Christian Haller, Enrico Pfister, Brayden Carpenter, and alternate Alan Frei. The Philippine curling team also went unbeaten in a pre-Olympic qualification event at Curl Aberdeen in Scotland and moved tantalizingly close to qualifying for the 2026 Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics.

In collegiate basketball, redemption tours were fulfilled both in the UAAP and the NCAA. La Salle, in its first season without Kevin Quiambao, had two injured players in the middle of eliminations in Mason Amos and Kean Baclaan and finished fourth with an 8-6 record. But it didn’t stop the Green Archers from redeeming themselves from a heartbreaking finish last year.

In the Premier Volleyball League, Petro Gazz emerged as the new queens with two major championships in 2025. With Brooke Van Sickle emerging as one of the top players in the country and Myla Pablo regaining her lethal form, the Angels ended the five-peat bid of the Creamline Cool Smashers in the All-Filipino Conference, winning the franchise’s maiden trophy in the tournament in Game 3. MJ Phillips also rose to the occasion and emerged as the Finals MVP.

Manny Pacquiao proved he still has it at age 46 after making his grand comeback in boxing this year. In his comeback fight, where he appeared to make a triumphant return, Pacquiao settled for a majority draw against WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios at MGM Grand Garden Arena last July. Despite the result, Pacquiao still made headlines outside his political career and reignited the massive support he has as a boxer.

Source: inquirer.net