MaharlikaNews | Canada’s Leading Online Filipino Newspaper – No. 1 Information Hub for Filipino-Canadians with 250K Visitors in 2020 MaharlikaNews is Canada’s premier online Filipino newspaper, delivering the latest news, stories, and updates for Filipino-Canadians. Stay informed and engaged.
MANILA, Philippines — To put it plainly, Philippine sports has been on a roll.
Historic year after historic year, Filipino athletes have found one higher level after another as breakthroughs have been made.
The year 2025 is no different.
Records were broken. History has been rewritten multiple times. And the good thing is, Philippine athletes are just getting started.
Let’s take a look back on what transpired this year in Philippine sports.
Alexandra the Great
It is Alex Eala’s world, and we’re just living in it.
Eala is undoubtedly the biggest newsmaker in Philippine sports this year.
The 20-year-old broke records left and right as she had a season to remember.
She entered the year ranked 158th in the world. She started off 2025 with a semifinal exit in the Canberra International, a first-round qualifier ouster in the Australian Open, a second-round qualifier departure in the Singapore Tennis Open, and a Round-of-16 elimination in the L&T Mumbai Open.
Everything changed in the Miami Open.
Eala, ranked 140th in the world at the time, defeated Katie Volynets in the first round of the competition, 6-3, 7-6. That match was a massive upset for the Filipina, who defeated the then-World No. 73 women’s player.
She then had caught another big fish with a 7-6, 7-5 victory over then-World No. 25 Jelena Ostapenko.
It did not stop there, as Eala shocked World No. 5 Madison Keys in the round of 32, 6-4, 6-2, before getting the walkover against Paula Badosa.
The Cinderella run continued in the quarterfinals, after the Filipina scored the biggest win in her career thus far—a stunner over World No. 2 Iga Swiatek, 6-2, 7-5.
However, Eala’s dream run came to an end against Jessica Pegula, but it did not come easy with a three-set 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 defeat.
This flung Eala to World No. 75 at the end of the tournament, becoming the first Filipina to be ranked within the top 100.
This tournament opened a lot of doors for Eala, which included Grand Slam main draw spots in Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open.
Aside from this, she also won her first WTA 125 title in the Guadalajara 125 Open after beating Panna Udvardy.
And to top it all off, Eala brought home the Philippines’ first gold medal in women’s tennis in the SEA Games since Maricris Fernandez did so in 1999.
Currently, the Eala is ranked 53rd in the world, three levels lower than her career-high of World No. 50.
Cold as ice
Talk about ice cold.
This year, the Philippines brought home a historic gold medal in the Harbin Asian Winter Games for curling.
Curling? Yes, curling.
The team—made up of Marc and Enrico Pfister, Christian Haller, Alan Frei and Benjo Delarmente—defeated powerhouse Korea in a heart-stopping final in the sport called as “chess on ice”.
And the Winter Olympics was what they put their eyes on.
The squad inched closer to the 2026 Olympics in the Italy with a stellar performance in the Pre-Olympic Qualifying Event, before falling in the Olympic Qualifying Event.
Still, the sky is the limit for the Philippines.
Pacquiao returns
Don’t call it a comeback.
Manny Pacquiao returned to the boxing ring earlier this year, coming out of retirement to face Mario Barrios in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Pacquiao, who was 46 at the time he clashed with the 30-year-old Barrios, showed why he is one of the GOATs.
He went toe to toe with El Azteca in the WBC welterweight championship.
But ultimately, judges ruled it a controversial majority draw.
Pacman has said he will be returning to the ring in 2026.
Men’s volleyball breakthrough
Alas Pilipinas also had a campaign to remember in this year’s FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship.
The Philippines bagged a historic win in this year’s world championship over heavy favorite Egypt back in September, 29-27, 23-25, 25-21, 25-21.
Alas was ranked 89th in the world back then, while Egypt was 22nd.
The win gave the Filipinos an opportunity to make it to the next round of the tournament, as they battled Iran.
A heartbreaking finish, however, overturned an Alas’ “win” to a stunning defeat to end their tournament.
Tabuena holds down the fort
Golfer Miguel Tabuena defended home turf after topping the International Series Philippines at the Sta. Elena Golf Club.
Tabuena ruled the Philippine golf tourney ahead of the likes of Kazuki Higa, Yosuke Asaji, Sarit Suwannarut, Sampson Zheng, Dustin Johnson and Patrick Reed.
Tabuena tried to go for a coveted promotion to LIV Golf in November, but he fell just one shot off, finishing at joint 11th in Riyadh. He would have needed to place at least sixth in the event.
Black Tiger roars
Billiards superstar Carlo Biado also made history this year.
Biado, also known as “Black Tiger”, became the first Filipino to win the World Pool Championship 9-ball twice.
He first won it in 2017, and this year, when he defeated Fedor Gorst.
After winning, Biado said that it “means everything” to him and he is “so proud” to bring the trophy home.
Twists and turns of gymnastics
Carlos Yulo remained the golden boy in Philippine gymnastics.
The double Olympic gold medalist recorded another gold medal in the 2025 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in October, ruling the vault over Artur Davtyan and Nazar Chepurnyi.
He also had a bronze medal in the floor exercise.
Carlos' brother, Karl Eldrew, also had multiple medals in the FIG Junior World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.
He had a bronze medal in floor exercise and horizontal bar in the event held in Pasay City.
Redeem teams shine in college hoops
Over in the collegiate ranks, redemption was the name of the game.
Defeated in the Finals last season, the La Salle Green Archers climbed on top of the UAAP men’s basketball tournament, closing out their trilogy with the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons in three games.
On the center of the limelight were graduating big man Mike Phillips and the savvy Cool Cub Jacob Cortez.
Cortez joined a shortlist of champions who won a title in both the UAAP and the NCAA, where he did the same during his time with the San Beda Red Lions.
Speaking of the NCAA, San Beda regained the hoops throne of the countr's oldest collegiate league after a sweep against rivals Letran Knights.
Yuki Andrada and Finals Most Valuable Player Bryan Sajonia stood tall for the Red Lions, who won their 23rd title in the NCAA.
But University of Santo Tomas also returned with a vengeance after topping the UAAP Season 88 women’s basketball wars.
Led by Kent Pastrana, the Growling Tigresses had a clean sweep in the elimination round, earning a direct ticket to the Finals.
Come the championship round, UST suffered its first loss of the season against the National University Lady Bulldogs. But the Tigresses were just too good to bury as they won the series in three.
SEA Games haul
And of course, history was made left and right in the recently concluded Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.
The Filipinas bagged home the first-ever gold medal of the Philippines in the SEA Games, stunning Vietnam in a cardiac penalty shootout in Thailand.
It broke the duopoly of Vietnam and Thailand in SEA Games football tournament.
Alas Pilipinas’ women’s beach volleyball also had a historic finish in the SEA Games.
Since the first time beach volleyball was played in the SEA Games back in 2003, it was only Thailand that won the gold.
But this time around, the Philippines, composed of Sisi Rondina, Bernadeth Pons, Sunny Villapando and Dij Rodriguez, snagged the gold.
Mazel Alegado also proved that age is merely a number, especially in sports, when she made history as the Philippines’ youngest gold medalist.
At just 11, she ruled the extreme skateboard women’s park event.
Fellow 11-year-old Elizabeth Amador, then, finished second in the event.
The quartet of Kayla Sanchez, Xiandi Chua, Chloe Isleta and Heather White also ended the reign of Singapore in the women’s 4 x 100 meter freestyle relay with a time of three minutes and 44.26 seconds.
Sanchez also became the country’s most bemedaled swimmer with three golds and five silver medals in swimming.
The RP Blu Girls, meanwhile, continued their dominance in the SEA Games after winning their 11th straight gold medal in the biennial event.
Agatha Wong likewise won her sixth gold medal in wushu.
Eumir Marcial also bagged the Philippines’ only gold medal in boxing after ruling the light-heavyweight division. Pugs Flint Jara, Bryan Baricuatro and Aira Villegas settled for silver medals in the sport.
And of course, the Philippines brought home gold medals in men’s and women’s basketball. Both teams defeated Thailand in the final to grab the championships.
Team Philippines finished the 2025 SEA Games with 50 gold, 73 silver and 154 bronze medals with the country’s largest delegation in the event.
Fans can expect Philippine sports to continue thriving in the years to come.
- Latest
- Trending
*****
Credit belongs to : www.philstar.com
