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Category: Pinoy Sports Pulse

  • Historic ₱12M prize pot raises stakes in the 2026 Tour of Luzon

    Historic ₱12M prize pot raises stakes in the 2026 Tour of Luzon

    The 2026 MPTC Tour of Luzon rolls out on April 29 from CaSoBe in Calatagan, won’t just be a test of endurance and strategy. It will be a high-stakes battle fueled by the largest prize pool the race has ever seen which is a staggering ₱12 million.


    The individual champion will pocket ₱1 million, while the winning team takes home ₱2 million, creating a massive gap between first place and the rest of the field.

     

    “The race is expected to be tight and exciting to the very end,” he said “‘Get ready for a heart-stopping, adrenaline-fueled ride!” Arrey Perez, Chief Organizer and CEO of the Tour on Eastern Sunday said. 

     

    “The goal is to be the champions—individual and team—because getting second place are miles and miles behind [in terms of cash prizes],” Perez added.

     

    That financial gap has turned this year’s edition into more than just a race—it’s a calculated gamble where teams must decide when to conserve and when to attack. Even finishing second offers ₱500,000 for individuals and ₱1.5 million for teams.

     

    For veterans of the sport, the leap in prize money is almost surreal. The Tour traces its roots back to the 1954 Manila-Vigan Race, and even its richest early editions pale in comparison. 

     

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    In 1995, when Renato Dolosa claimed victory, the prize stood at ₱500,000 along with a car—then considered groundbreaking.

     

    “Surely this Tour of Luzon will be a battle,” said Dolosa, now a road race commissaire.

     

    From those modest beginnings through the Marlboro Tour era and later the Ronda Pilipinas, where the pot eventually reached ₱1 million, the race has steadily grown. But this year’s edition represents a defining leap, backed by the Philippine Sports Commission, the MVP Group, and title sponsor MPTC, and staged under International Cycling Union regulations through PhilCycling.

     

    Beyond the overall titles, the rewards extend deep into the field. The top 10 riders after 14 stages will earn from ₱400,000 down to ₱100,000, while team rankings also offer substantial payouts.

    Specialty jerseys add another layer of competition, the Eagle of the Mountain earns ₱350,000, the Sprint King ₱300,000, and the Best Young Rider ₱200,000. 

     

    But the money is only part of the story. The route itself promises a grueling journey across the country—from the opening climb to Tagaytay, to the northern push toward Pagudpud, and the punishing ascent to Bessang Pass, before culminating in the iconic uphill finish at Baguio City’s John Hay. 

     

    With two individual time trials and a team time trial in the mix, the race will test every dimension of a cyclist’s ability.

     

     

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  • Philippine powerlifters flex growing depth with 36-medal haul in China tilt 

    Philippine powerlifters flex growing depth with 36-medal haul in China tilt 

    The Philippines did not just come home from Hainan with medals. It came home with a stronger case that powerlifting is quietly becoming one of the country’s most productive emerging sports on the international stage.

     

    At the 2026 East/Southeast Asia Subregional Championships held from March 26 to 30 in China, the Filipino team turned in a commanding all-around performance, collecting 36 medals, three special awards, and two national records in a campaign that highlighted not just individual strength, but the growing depth of the program.

     

    What stood out most was the consistency.

     

    According to the Powerlifting Association of the Philippines (PAP), every Filipino delegate managed to finish on the podium during the five-day competition — a rare kind of across-the-board success that says just as much about the system behind the team as it does about the athletes themselves.

     

    “Every delegate was able to bring home a medal for the country. We hope this sets the tone for our international calendar this year,” said PAP president and head of delegation Filippo Scarlata, noting that the next competition will be the Asian Juniors Championships from May 10 to 15.

     

    That clean sweep helped the national team finish with 22 gold medals, 10 silvers, and four bronzes, as the Philippines stacked podium finishes across multiple divisions and categories.

    The medalists included Adrian Perillo, James de Luna, Juan Teodoro Zabala, Jose Virgil Perez, Ryant Relos, Emilion Florendo, Audrick Khong Hun, John Sorima, Rayven Villasotes, Anya Pinzon, Jomara Chan, and Clara Buenconsejo.

     

    But beyond the medal count, the meet also revealed how many different ways the Filipinos made their mark.

     

    Relos, Chan, and Pinzon each established new national and individual lift records, while the Philippine squad also secured Best Team honors in both the Men’s Open and Men’s Masters I divisions — a sign that the country was not simply winning isolated events, but performing at a high level across an entire team structure.

     

    Perez added to that haul by earning Best Lifter honors, while Zabala, competing internationally for the first time, still managed to finish third in the Best Lifter rankings.

     

    That result gave Zabala one of the more memorable storylines of the Philippine campaign, especially given the mental hurdle that came with stepping onto an international platform for the first time.

     

    “My first attempt in the squat was the most challenging,not physically, but mentally, because it was my first time representing the Philippines internationally,” he said.

     

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    That quote captures something important about the sport that often gets lost behind the numbers.

     

    Powerlifting is built on measurable strength, but performances like these also demand control, confidence, and composure under pressure — especially in a setting where every lift is magnified and every successful attempt contributes not just to personal totals, but to national standing.

    The Philippines showed that kind of poise throughout the meet.

     

    In the Men’s Open division, the Filipinos finished on top with 40 points, comfortably ahead of Thailand’s 31, in a field that also included Vietnam, China, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, and Malaysia.

     

    The Men’s Masters I race was even tighter, but the Philippines still found a way through. The team ended level with Malaysia on 24 points before claiming the top spot via higher good lift scores, finishing with 155.91 to edge out the competition.

     

    That ability to win both clearly and narrowly may be one of the most encouraging takeaways for PAP moving forward.

     

    This was not just a team carried by one or two headline names. It was a delegation that showed range — from first-time internationals to award winners, from record breakers to veterans capable of helping secure team titles.

     

    That matters as the calendar begins to get busier.

     

    Locally, PAP is set to hold the Luzon Regionals from May 26 to 31, the Mindanao Regionals from June 13 to 14, and the Visayas Regionals from September 19 to 20. The Equipped Nationals are scheduled for August 8 to 9, while the National Equipped Bench Press Championships will be held on April 12 at Robinsons Otis.

     

    Internationally, the stakes only rise from here.

     

    The Asian Sub-Juniors and Juniors Classic and Equipped Championships, along with the University Cup, are set from May 10 to 15 in Hainan, while the World Classic and Equipped Bench Press Championships will follow from May 23 to 31 in Warsaw, Poland. The World Classic Open Powerlifting Championships are also scheduled from June 13 to 21 in Druskininkai, Lithuania.

    For a team coming off a sweep-heavy performance in China, those upcoming meets now feel less like distant targets and more like real opportunities to keep momentum going.

     

    And for athletes like Zabala, who are only beginning to experience the international level, the result in Hainan may end up being more than just a successful debut — it could be the start of something much bigger.

     

    He also took the chance to point out a distinction often misunderstood outside the sport, noting that powerlifting is made up of the squat, bench press, and deadlift, while weightlifting consists of the snatch and the clean and jerk.

     

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  • Alex Eala opens clay campaign against Julia Grabher in Linz Open Round of 32 

    Alex Eala opens clay campaign against Julia Grabher in Linz Open Round of 32 

    Alex Eala’s shift to clay begins not with a marquee showdown, but with a match that could say plenty about how quickly she can settle into a new stretch of the season.

     

    The Filipina star opens her campaign at the Upper Austria Ladies Linz on Monday against Austria’s Julia Grabher in the Round of 32, a first-time meeting that serves as Eala’s first test on clay this year.

     

    After spending the opening months of 2026 grinding through hard-court tournaments, Eala now enters a different phase of the calendar — one that often demands more patience, longer rallies, and a fresh level of adaptability.

     

    That makes her opener in Linz more than just a routine first-round assignment.

    It is a chance to establish rhythm early on a surface that can often punish hesitation, especially against an opponent like Grabher, who enters with familiarity, confidence, and home support on her side.

     

    Grabher, currently ranked No. 87 in the world, may come in lower than Eala in the rankings, but she remains a capable opening-round threat. The Austrian has previously climbed as high as No. 54 and is coming off a run to the Round of 16 of the WTA 125 event in Antalya, giving her valuable match play heading into Linz.

     

    Eala, for her part, comes into the WTA 500 tournament ranked No. 45 after recently reaching a career-high No. 29 — another sign of how much ground she has covered over the past year despite still adjusting to the demands of a full WTA schedule.

     

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    This will be her ninth tournament of the season and her first on clay after an eight-event stretch that saw her compete in Auckland, the Australian Open, the PH Women’s Open, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Dubai Duty Free, Indian Wells, and the Miami Open.

     

    That heavy run of tournaments has given Eala plenty of top-level exposure, but Linz now presents a different kind of challenge: how quickly she can carry that momentum onto a slower surface against a player she has never faced before.

     

    That unfamiliarity could become one of the more important factors in the match.

     

    Unlike some of the more familiar names Eala has begun seeing regularly on tour, Grabher presents a fresh scouting puzzle — one that will require quick adjustments once play begins. And in opening-round matches like this, especially at this level, finding answers early can often be the difference.

     

    There is, of course, added intrigue waiting in the draw. The winner of the Eala-Grabher match will advance to face fourth-seeded Jelena Ostapenko, setting up a possible third meeting between Eala and the Latvian star.

     

    That subplot naturally adds extra attention to Monday’s opener, especially considering Eala went 2-0 against Ostapenko in 2025, scoring wins at both the Miami Open and the Lexus Eastbourne Open.

     

    Still, that remains background noise for now. If Eala is to earn another crack at a familiar heavyweight, she first has to navigate the more immediate challenge in front of her — an opening match on a new surface, against a home bet, in a tournament that could help shape the tone of her clay season.

     

    Eala and Grabher are set to play on Tuesday at 5 p.m. Manila time.

     

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  • Linz Open director hails Alex Eala as an “amazing player” ahead of tournament debut

    Linz Open director hails Alex Eala as an “amazing player” ahead of tournament debut

    The Linz Open—officially known as the Upper Austria Ladies Linz—continues to strengthen its reputation as one of the premier stops on the WTA Tour calendar, with the 2026 edition marking a significant milestone in its history. Celebrating its 35th anniversary, the prestigious tournament in Linz is embracing both tradition and change, highlighted by a surface shift to indoor clay courts after years of being played on indoor hardcourts up until 2025.

     

    Adding further excitement to this landmark edition is the much-anticipated debut of Alex Eala, widely regarded as one of the brightest young stars in international tennis. The Filipina sensation’s participation not only elevates the tournament’s global appeal but also underscores the growing presence of Philippine tennis on the world stage.

     

    Tournament director Sandra Reichel expressed her enthusiasm over Eala’s inclusion, praising both her talent and her impact on the sport—particularly in the Philippines, where the young star has become a source of national pride.

     

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    “It’s great to be with the tournament around the world in the Philippines. It’s great, you have an amazing player. Alexandra is unbelievable and I think it’s great for the Philippines, for the people, for the tennis fans in the Philippines to have such an amazing player,” Reichel said during a media interaction.

     

    Reichel also emphasized the tournament’s role in nurturing the next generation of tennis stars, noting that Eala represents the future of the sport.

     

    “We are really a long-standing member of the whole tour and it’s great always to welcome new players and newcomers and players who will own the future, I would say. So it’s great to welcome Alexandra here in Linz in this special year,” she added.

    The 35th anniversary celebration has not only brought star power to the tournament but also unique logistical challenges. With matches staged at the Design Center Linz—a venue typically used for exhibitions and fairs—the organizing team undertook the complex task of constructing temporary courts tailored for elite competition.

     

    “We had to really build the courts because the facility normally you use it for fairs, so it is called the design center which is in the middle of the city and we have to build three courts, two match courts and one practice court and it took like five days to build them,” Reichel explained.

     

    Despite the tight timeline and demanding setup, Reichel expressed confidence in her team’s execution, highlighting the overwhelmingly positive feedback from players and officials.

     

    “I always say I have the best team of the world, so my team was really very challenged in the last days but I have very positive feedback on the court and I think it will be a great tournament this year. Yes. It’s a temporary court. So after the tournament we cut it out and but it can be recycled again because it would have been really a nightmare to what we are doing with the court and it will be recycled after,” she continued.

     

    For Eala, the spotlight will immediately shine bright as she opens her campaign against Austria’s Julia Grabher on Tuesday, April 7. In a move that reflects both her rising stature and strong fan following, tournament organizers are planning to feature the Filipina on the main stage.

    “That’s the plan to put her on the center court,” Reichel confirmed.

     

    Eala’s debut in Linz represents another key step in her rapidly progressing career as she continues to test herself against higher-ranked opponents on the WTA Tour. For Filipino fans, her participation in a historic edition of the Linz Open offers yet another opportunity to witness the ascent of a player widely expected to carry Philippine tennis to new heights.

     

    As the tournament celebrates its legacy while welcoming a new generation of talent, all eyes will be on Linz—not only to commemorate its storied past but also to glimpse the future of women’s tennis led by emerging stars like Alex Eala.

     

     

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  • Alex Eala names Manny Pacquiao as dream meet, reflects on growing fame beyond tennis

    Alex Eala names Manny Pacquiao as dream meet, reflects on growing fame beyond tennis

    For someone who has already shared stages, tournaments, and spaces with some of the biggest names in tennis, Alex Eala still has one meeting on her personal wish list that feels bigger than sport.

     

    Not another Grand Slam champion. Not a global celebrity from the tennis world. Not even one of the stars she has crossed paths with on tour.

     

    For Eala, the one athlete she still dreams of meeting is Manny Pacquiao. The 20-year-old Filipina tennis standout revealed as much during her appearance on the Players’ Box Podcast, where she joined fellow tennis stars Madison Keys, Jessica Pegula, Jennifer Brady, and Desirae Krawczyk for a lighthearted conversation that eventually turned personal.

     

    Asked which athlete from another sport she most wanted to meet, Eala did not hesitate.

    “Manny Pacquiao, I haven’t met him yet. Obviously, he’s the Filipino icon,” she answered.

    “He’s huge. Like, when he has a fight before, it would be like a holiday in the Philippines,” she added.

     

    It was a simple answer, but one that says a lot about where Eala stands now in Philippine sports.

    Because while she may not yet occupy the same once-in-a-generation cultural space Pacquiao did at his peak, she is quietly becoming something close in her own field — a Filipino athlete whose presence is starting to travel far beyond the court.

     

    That rise has been especially evident over the last year, with Eala continuing to build her reputation on the global stage and recently reaching the round of 16 of the 2026 Miami Open before bowing out to Karolína Muchová.

     

    Her climb has not only elevated her standing in women’s tennis, but also made her one of the most recognizable Filipino athletes of her generation.

     

    And yet, by her own account, the growing attention still catches her off guard.

    “I notice [the fame] most when I’m at home in the Philippines,” Eala said. “But even when I visited my cousin in Los Angeles, three people approached me. If you had told me two years ago that people would be asking for pictures … well.”

     

    That kind of recognition may still feel new to her, but the pattern is no longer isolated.

     

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    Wherever Eala plays, there seems to be a Filipino crowd waiting.

     

    Whether it is in major tennis cities or in places not always associated with packed tournament stands, she has learned that support from home tends to follow her.

     

    “New York is a big one, as are Melbourne, Manila, and Dubai,” she said. “The Middle East has a massive Filipino population, which I think surprises some people.”

     

    That global Filipino support, she explained, has even changed the way some fellow players view certain tournament stops.

     

    Eala recalled a casual conversation before heading to Abu Dhabi, when another player suggested that drawing a crowd there would be difficult because Middle East tournaments are often associated with quieter attendance.

     

    Eala saw it differently. “Middle East tournaments are sometimes known for having smaller crowds,” she added. “I told them, ‘Wait, you don’t realize how many Filipinos are there.’ For me, it was actually the opposite of what they expected.”

     

    That perspective captures what Eala’s rise has increasingly come to represent.She is not just building a tennis career. She is carrying a fan base with her, one that shows up loudly and proudly in corners of the world where many athletes would not expect it.

     

    In many ways, that is what makes the Pacquiao comparison feel so natural. Not because Eala has already matched his legacy — that would be unfair and far too early — but because she is beginning to understand what it means to represent the Philippines on a stage large enough for the whole world to see.

     

    For now, though, her attention remains on the next stop. After her Miami Open run, Eala is set to shift her focus to the 2026 Upper Austria Ladies Linz from April 6 to 12, where she is expected to enter an unseeded draw that could include dangerous names such as Ekaterina Alexandrova and Emma Raducanu.

     

    It is another test, another tournament, and another opportunity for her rising story to grow.

    And somewhere down the line, perhaps another chance to meet the icon she still sees as the gold standard of Filipino sports fame.

     

     

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  • Eldrew Yulo eyes Cairo glory as World Cup streak continues after Antalya triumph

    Eldrew Yulo eyes Cairo glory as World Cup streak continues after Antalya triumph

    Eldrew Yulo is back in the international spotlight, aiming to extend his golden run in the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup series as the Cairo leg kicks off from April 3 to 6.

     

    Fresh off a triumphant showing in Antalya, where he captured his first senior-level gold in the floor exercise with a score of 14.100, Yulo is bringing his polished routines and competitive fire to Egypt. 

     

    The 18-year-old will compete in four apparatus—floor exercise, vault, parallel bars, and horizontal bar—opting out of pommel horse and still rings due to ankle pains.

     

    The younger brother of two-time Olympic champion Carlos Yulo has already proven his mettle on the senior stage, making finals appearances in Baku and Antalya, and showcasing a signature blend of precision, difficulty, and composure under pressure. 

     

    His performance in Antalya set the tone for what the Philippine gymnastics team hopes will be another strong showing in Cairo.

     

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    After clinching his first senior-level gold in Antalya, Eldrew Yulo takes on Cairo in the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup, competing in floor, vault, parallel bars, and horizontal bar.

     

    Joining Yulo in Egypt are fellow Southeast Asian Games double gold medalist John Ivan Cruz, Justine Ace De Leon, and Juancho Miguel Besana, all seeking to elevate the Philippines’ presence in the World Cup series. Their combined efforts underscore the growing depth of Filipino gymnastics on the global stage.

     

    Following Cairo, Yulo is scheduled to compete in Osijek, Croatia, from April 9 to 12. The series’ final stop in Doha, Qatar, originally planned from April 15 to 18, has been canceled due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, heightening the importance of the remaining legs for medal contenders like Yulo.

     

    For the young Filipino gymnast, Cairo is more than just another competition—it is an opportunity to solidify his rising reputation and build momentum toward future championships, keeping the Yulo legacy alive on the world stage.

     

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  • POC hopes hosting of ACC Track Cycling Championships sparks a new era for Filipino cyclists

    POC hopes hosting of ACC Track Cycling Championships sparks a new era for Filipino cyclists

    The Philippines recently marked a milestone in its cycling history by successfully hosting the 45th Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC) Track Cycling Championships alongside the 14th Asian Para Track Cycling Championships from March 25 to 31 at the Tagaytay City Velodrome. The week-long event not only showcased the continent’s top cycling talent but also positioned the country as a rising hub for track cycling in Asia.

     

    China dominated the competition, asserting its status as an Asian powerhouse by capturing 18 of the 44 gold medals available, along with 10 silvers and a bronze. Japan finished second on the medal tally, earning seven golds, seven silvers, and 10 bronze medals, while South Korea (5-9-7), Kazakhstan (4-5-2), and Chinese Taipei (3-4-5) rounded out the top five. The results reflected the depth and intensity of Asian cycling, with fierce competition in every category from elite riders to para-athletes.

     

    Despite the dominance of these traditional powerhouses, the Philippines made its presence felt. Patrick Gerard Lee secured the nation’s lone medal of the championships, taking home bronze in the para men elite scratch race. Meanwhile, Zedrick Ivan Honoric set a new national record in the flying 200 meters, signaling a bright future for local riders.

     

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    “Yes, a Filipino rider can shine in track cycling,” Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham Tolentino affirmed. His words echoed the pride of local cycling enthusiasts and underscored the country’s potential to develop world-class cyclists.

    Tolentino, who also serves as president of PhilCycling, expressed elation over the successful hosting of the championships, emphasizing that it placed both the Philippines and the Tagaytay City Velodrome firmly on the “global track cycling map.” He stressed that the event was more than just a competition; it was a stepping stone toward building a sustainable track cycling culture in the country.

     

    “We are now in the company of the global destinations for competitions and training in the track community, and the next big step is to continue the momentum—not only in hosting international events but to go full throttle on developing our very own track cyclists,” Tolentino said during a media interaction.

     

    In recognition of their achievements, both Gerard Lee and Ivan Honoric were awarded cash bonuses by the POC. Tolentino also highlighted plans to complete the track equipment at the Tagaytay Velodrome, aiming to make it a regular venue for both local and international competitions. By doing so, he hopes to provide Filipino cyclists with consistent access to world-class facilities and the chance to compete against top-tier international talent without leaving home.

     

    “This was a dream that came to reality, and we will continue to progress on that reality,” Tolentino concluded.

     

    The successful hosting of the ACC Track Cycling Championships has already sparked excitement in the local cycling community, inspiring young riders across the Philippines. With the combination of improved facilities, international exposure, and strong institutional support, the country is positioning itself to not just participate but compete at the highest levels of Asian track cycling in the years to come.

     

     

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  • Alex Eala starts clay-court buildup at Rafa Nadal Academy

    Alex Eala starts clay-court buildup at Rafa Nadal Academy

    After months of chasing points, rankings, and breakthroughs on hard courts, Alex Eala is back where a different kind of tennis begins.

     

    The Filipina star has started her transition to the clay season at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, Spain, returning to the place that has long played a major role in her growth as a player.

     

    In a series of Instagram stories posted by the academy, Eala was shown training on indoor red clay, working through a 14-ball rally while striking mostly forehands and adjusting her movement to cover the backhand side.

     

    It was a brief glimpse, but one that signaled the beginning of a key stretch in her 2026 campaign.

     

    The first half of Eala’s WTA season has already shown clear signs of progress.

     

    She opened the year with a semifinal run in Auckland and a main draw appearance at the Australian Open, results that helped her climb to a new career-high of World No. 45 and further establish herself as a regular presence in bigger tournaments.

     

    More importantly, Eala has started building her season through consistency rather than isolated breakthroughs.

     

    Instead of relying on one standout week, she has steadily collected wins, rounds, and valuable experience against stronger fields, showing that her rise is becoming more sustainable.

     

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    That trend carried into the Sunshine Double.

     

    Eala competed in both Indian Wells and the Miami Open, where she reached the Round of 16 before bowing out to Karolina Muchova after wins over Magda Linette and Laura Siegemund.

     

    Even with her rankings drop from No. 29 to No. 45 after Miami, the bigger picture remains encouraging.

     

    The fall in ranking had more to do with defending points from last year’s deep run than a dip in form, which makes this upcoming clay stretch even more important for maintaining momentum.

     

    Her clay campaign begins in Linz, where she enters a strong field that includes former champions Ekaterina Alexandrova, Jelena Ostapenko, and Karolína Plíšková.

     

    She will then continue her run through Stuttgart and Madrid, two major stops on the WTA calendar that should offer a clearer measure of where her game stands on the surface.

     

    For Eala, this clay swing is about more than just the next tournaments on her schedule. It is a chance to prove that the progress she has made this season can carry across surfaces, and that her 2026 campaign can keep building through discipline, adaptability, and the kind of consistency needed to stay on the rise.

     

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  • Tallulah Proulx’s Olympic journey sparks a new era for Filipina winter athletes

    Tallulah Proulx’s Olympic journey sparks a new era for Filipina winter athletes

    At just 17, Tallulah Proulx stepped onto one of the world’s coldest stages carrying something far greater than competition—she carried possibility. 

     

    In a space where the Philippines has rarely been seen, much less represented by women, her performance at the Winter Olympics 2026 became a statement that boundaries are meant to be expanded.

     

    Proulx didn’t arrive with expectations of podium finishes, but with a mission that proved just as powerful. Competing against seasoned athletes, many of whom have spent decades mastering the slopes—she placed 52nd out of 76 in the women’s giant slalom and 50th out of 95 in the women’s slalom. 

     

    The results may not have placed her among the medalists, but they marked a historic breakthrough as she became the first Filipina alpine skier to compete in the Winter Games and the youngest athlete from Southeast Asia in this edition.

     

    What made her journey stand out wasn’t just her performance, but the timing of it. In a sport where champions often peak in their 30s, Proulx’s early arrival signals something bigger, a long runway of growth and a future where her presence could evolve from symbolic to truly competitive.

     

    Back in Colorado, a young Filipina approached her, full of hope and curiosity. What began as a simple request turned into a powerful realization.

     

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    “This little girl went to message me asked me if she can practice with me, I said ‘of course’ then she came running to me all full of hope telling me it’s her dream to become the first Filipina halfpipe skier in the Games as well. Seeing the impact I had… I saw myself in her. Representation is really everything,” she said.

     

    Her presence had already begun shaping dreams beyond her own, planting seeds in places where winter sports once felt unreachable for Filipinos.

     

    Her identity as a Filipina, she explains, goes beyond geography. It lives in a mindset of showing up, putting in the work, and daring to take space in unfamiliar arenas. It’s about opening doors where none existed before and leaving them open for others to follow.

     

    Looking ahead, Proulx sees her journey as part of a larger movement. She points to fellow Filipina athletes like Hidilyn Diaz and Nesthy Petecio as proof that Filipinas can thrive on the global stage, regardless of the sport or circumstances.

     

    “We really have great aspirations. It shows that if you have the courage to believe in yourself and in your dream of becoming one of the top athletes, you can do it,” the young olympian said. 

     

    Tallulah Proulx shared that while she has always believed in dreaming big from a young age, she never imagined becoming a trailblazer, yet she takes pride in the journey that led her to become the first Filipino to compete in the Winter Olympics.

     

    She reflected on how Filipinos are defined by both their warmth and resilience, noting that forming connections comes naturally because of their kindness, while their determination drives them to work twice as hard for every gain.

     

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  • Joanie Delgaco hails rising popularity of rowing in the Philippines

    Joanie Delgaco hails rising popularity of rowing in the Philippines

    The 2026 PRA Indoor Meet marked another significant step forward for Philippine rowing, as the two-day competition drew a strong field of elite and emerging athletes over the weekend at the University Hotel in UP Diliman, Quezon City.

     

    Organized by the Philippines Rowing Association (PRA) with support from the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), the event brought together some of the country’s top rowers, including Olympian Joanie Delgaco, Southeast Asian Games standouts Kristine Paraon and Cris Nievarez, as well as Edgar Ilas, Van Maxilom, and Ronnie Peñarendondo. Their presence underscored both the competitive level of the meet and its growing importance within the local rowing calendar.

     

    More notably, this year’s edition highlighted the sport’s steady rise in popularity across the Philippines. From only a handful of participants in its earlier staging, the PRA Indoor Meet has now expanded to more than 100 entries—an encouraging sign for a discipline that has long remained under the radar in a sports landscape dominated by basketball and boxing.

     

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    Delgaco, the country’s first Filipina Olympic rower and a two-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist, expressed her enthusiasm over the sport’s continued growth. Having witnessed its development firsthand, she emphasized how far Philippine rowing has come in terms of visibility and participation.

     

    “We started from a small space. Now, rowing is more recognized, many people know about it, and many are getting interested. Now, I see they are really enjoying it,” Delgaco said in a media interaction.

    Her sentiments were echoed by fellow national team member Kristine Paraon, who highlighted the importance of sustained support and grassroots involvement to ensure rowing’s upward trajectory continues.

     

    “I’m happy that rowing is getting more recognized in the Philippines. PRA is really happy, many are joining the meet, unlike before. Rowing is more known, and I hope more will support it. Hope more will support and join rowing, PRA is open to those who want to try,” Paraon added.

     

    Beyond serving as a competitive platform, the PRA Indoor Meet also plays a crucial role in identifying and developing future members of the national team. With the event acting as a primary recruitment hub, aspiring athletes are given the opportunity to showcase their potential in front of coaches and officials.

     

    Leading the national team program is head coach Aliaksandra Tsekhanovich, who has been at the helm for the past three months. The foreign mentor praised the meet’s role in strengthening the country’s rowing pipeline, while also pointing out the need for broader structural development to sustain long-term growth.

     

    “I think we need to establish more rowing clubs in the regions – just in general. We need to really make rowing accessible for everyone. The Philippines is surrounded by water and there are so many places to row. We just have to grow the sport, do it right and provide more access so people can learn about it. We need to make it more popular so people can actually visualize themselves rowing,” Tsekhanovich said.

     

    Her remarks reflect a broader vision for Philippine rowing—one that goes beyond elite competition and focuses on accessibility, grassroots expansion, and nationwide engagement. With the country’s natural geography offering vast potential for water sports, stakeholders believe that rowing can flourish with the right infrastructure and sustained investment.

     

    As participation numbers continue to climb and more athletes enter the fold, the PRA Indoor Meet stands as a clear indicator that rowing in the Philippines is gaining momentum. With continued support from governing bodies, athletes, and the wider sporting community, the sport appears poised to reach new heights in the years to come.

     

     

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