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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider PH athletes expect another busy year in 2026

PH athletes expect another busy year in 2026

Published Dec 27, 2025 08:57 pm

At A Glance

  • Riding the wave of another landmark year, Filipino athletes anchored by world-class standouts such as Alex Eala and Carlos Yulo -- look poised to carry that momentum forward to keep the Philippines firmly in the international spotlight.
Philippine Eala Alexandra celebrates after defeating Thailand's M Sawangkaew at tennis the women's final at the Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
Philippine Eala Alexandra celebrates after defeating Thailand's M Sawangkaew at tennis the women's final at the Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
Riding the wave of another landmark year, Filipino athletes anchored by world-class standouts such as Alex Eala and Carlos Yulo -- look poised to carry that momentum forward to keep the Philippines firmly in the international spotlight.
Eala, who has been turning heads in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), seeks another impressive season, particularly in the Grand Slams where she hopes to eclipse her historic first-round win at the US Open.
Currently ranked No. 53, she is scheduled for a busy first two months by seeing action in the WTA 250 Auckland ASB Classic on Jan. 5, the Australian Open on Jan. 19, and hopefully, the WTA 125 Philippine Open where the country is hosting for the first time on Jan. 26.
Representing the country in the 30th Asian Games in Japan in September also looms, especially after her golden performance at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand this month that ended the country’s 26-year-old gold-medal drought in the women’s singles of the said regional meet.
Like Eala, Yulo is also expected to carry the fight in the Asian Games, while also hoping to maintain or surpass his performance at the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships slated in Rotterdam, Netherlands in October.
These tournaments also serve as part of his long-term preparations to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Gilas Pilipinas is also scheduled for a tough battle on its own as the Nationals are primed to meet No. 6 Australia and No. 25 New Zealand in the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers from February to March, with upcoming windows also set in July, August and November.
After a challenging participating in the SEA Games, national athletes are setting their sights on respective continental tournaments. But more importantly, they hope to qualify for the Asian Games where they country last won four gold, two silver and 12 bronze medals in 2023 in Hangzhou, China.
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