Carlos Yulo, Nesthy Petecio, and Aira Villegas etched their names in Philippine Olympic history with remarkable performances at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Carlos Yulo clinched two gold medals in men's artistic gymnastics (august 3-4), one for the floor exercise and another for the vault. These victories made him the Philippines' first double Olympic gold medalist. Nesthy Petecio secured a bronze medal in the women's featherweight boxing category, adding to her previous silver from Tokyo 2020 (august 7). Aira Villegas, competing in her debut Olympics, won a bronze medal in the women's 50kg boxing category, showcasing her skill and determination on the world stage (august 6).

Yulo's triumphs not only highlighted his talent and dedication but also inspired countless aspiring gymnasts in the Philippines. Petecio's consistent performance across two Olympic games underscored her resilience and experience in the boxing ring. Villegas' bronze medal was a testament to her hard work and potential, signaling the emergence of a new star in Philippine boxing. Their combined achievements brought immense pride to the nation and demonstrated the growing prowess of Filipino athletes on the global stage. These accomplishments are celebrated as milestones in the country's sports history, inspiring future generations to strive for excellence in their respective fields.

10th Championship: This Grand Slam victory marked Creamline's 10th championship title in the PVL, solidifying their dominance in the league.

Thrilling Final Match: The decisive match for the Grand Slam was a nail-biter, with Creamline defeating the Cignal HD Spikers in a five-set thriller: 21-25, 25-17, 20-25, 26-24, 15-13.

Key Players: Star players like Jema Galanza, who returned for the Invitational Conference, and Michele Gumabao, who was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Invitational Conference, played crucial roles in securing the Grand Slam.

The Philippines are off to Division A after thrashing Lebanon in the FIBA U18 Women’s Asia Cup – Division B Final.

Dyk, In 1910 Basketball was first introduced as a game for girls. And Nowadays, Women's basketball in the Philippines is on the rise. It's an undeniable fact that in the last two years, every senior, U18, and U16 team has advanced to the elite division of the FIBA Women's Asia Cup.

Highlights of the game

The Star player was Alyssa Rodriguez and Ava Fajardo nailed the game as a major factor in the Gilas Girls' triumph. Rodriguez scored 17 of her 22 points in the first half of a recent game, and her five three-pointers. And also, Fajardo made an immediate impact on the game with her excellent footwork and ball handling. She finished the game with 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals.

"Not all are blessed with great ability, but with teamwork and perseverance, all can accomplish great things."

-M.D. Boyer

Ampon's most significant career highlight came in 1950 when he won the singles gold medal at the Pan American Games in Mexico City. This victory was particularly notable as he defeated renowned players like Bill Talbert and Tom Brown, earning him the first-ever Philippines Sportswriters Association (PSA) Athlete of the Year award. His success didn't stop there; he also clinched a gold medal in doubles at the 1958 Asian Games, further solidifying his legacy as one of the greatest Filipino athletes.

Throughout his career, Ampon represented the Philippines in numerous Davis Cup competitions, holding the country's all-time record for the most singles (34-26) and total wins (40-35) in Davis Cup history¹. His strategic play and ability to turn his weaknesses into strengths made him a formidable opponent on the court. Despite his height, Ampon's agility, precision, and tactical intelligence earned him the nickname "Giant Killer," as he often brought the tallest and strongest tennis players to their knees. Ampon's influence extended beyond his own achievements. His father, Felix Ampon, was a national singles champion in the Philippines, and his sister, Desideria Ampon, dominated women's tennis in Asia during her time². This family legacy in tennis highlights the deep-rooted passion and talent that propelled Felicisimo to greatness. His contributions to the sport have been immortalized in tennis literature, including Bud Collins' Tennis Encyclopedia, where he is celebrated as one of the sport's legends.

Felicisimo Ampon's story is one of perseverance, skill, and triumph against the odds. His remarkable achievements on the tennis court, combined with his strategic brilliance and family legacy, make him a true icon in the world of sports. His legacy continues to inspire future generations of athletes, proving that determination and talent can overcome any obstacle.

Forty years ago this Sunday, Apollo 14 astronauts Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell took an entirely different kind of "giant leap for mankind," playing sports on the lunar surface.

The First 'Lunar Olympics

"That was the first lunar Olympics," said Mitchell, the sixth man to walk on the moon. He is now 80 and living in Florida.

Mitchell and Shepard, who died in 1998, were on the moon to conduct science experiments. The conducted two moonwalks, or EVA's, over two days. But just before they left the surface, they snuck in a few minutes for fun.

"We had very little time, just a few seconds to pull that off," Mitchell said, "less than a minute or so.

"[Shepard] hit his golf ball, after three whacks at it... I threw a javelin, using a staff from the solar wind experiment," he said.

Javelin Throw Beat Golf Ball, Mitchell Says

As Shepard struck the ball, he joked on the radio that his shot went "miles and miles," but Mitchell is still setting the record straight. While Shepard's golf swing is most-often remembered in the history books, Mitchell's javelin throw actually went further.

"By about 4 inches," Mitchell said with a laugh. "His golf hit didn't go very far either, simply because he was swinging one-handed in a pressure suit."

The golf ball and javelin are still on the lunar surface, but Shepard's special six iron is now on display at the USGA Golf House in Far Hills, N.J.

Sports in Space Continue Today

Shepard and Mitchell are still the only astronauts to play on the moon, but sports in space have continued. Just a few years ago, in 2006, cosmonaut Pavel Vinogradov hit a golf ball from a platform on the International Space Station in a publicity stunt. The ball was the longest drive ever, traveling a few million miles in Earth's orbit before entering the atmosphere and burning up.

Astronauts have also taken everything from frisbees to footballs on shuttle missions, but nothing can ever quite compare with those moments on the moon 40 years ago.

Mitchell, who only went to space once, says he'd do it again tomorrow.

"Let's go!" he said.

Watch today's Conversation with more from Dr. Ed Mitchell on the 40th anniversary of sports on the moon

Velo - a French word means Bike or Bicycle

Oksi - is a contraction from the word Occidental, our province.

In the year 2022, Velo Oksi's first national competition was conducted in San Mateo Rizal, organize by Seven Eleven and participated in by our local riders, Mr. Aron Cantere won 10th place in the youth category, which has been part of the history. Furthermore, in the year 2023, Velo Oksi participated in Batang Pinoy 2023, which has also been part of the history because this is the very first representation of the province of Occidental Mindoro in Batang Pinoy. This year the director of Velo Oksi Harris Earl V. Villagracia pursued the registration of Velo Oksi sports and events to the youth organization registration programme of the provincial government office of occidental Mindoro on August 28, 2024. Velo Oksi was to be awarded as the Gawad Bayanihan Outstanding Youth Organization of the provincial youth development office.

The country’s largest endemic mammal gets the spotlight this month as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) joins hands with the local governments of Occidental and Oriental Mindoro in celebrating October as Tamaraw Month. The celebration of Tamaraw Month is provided under Presidential Proclamation No. 273 of 2002, which designates October of every year as “Special Month for the Conservation and Protection of the Tamaraw in Mindoro.”

The "PADYAK PARA SA TAMARAW 2024 with a special Theme: TAMARAW at KATUTUBO: Pamana at Likas yaman patuloy na pangalagaan." is designed to promote the engagement of cycling community to Tamaraw Conservation Program and enrich the heritage of Mindoro.

Let us support all the cyclist of Occidental Mindoro for Padyak para sa Tamaraw this upcoming October 5, 2024.

It lasted an incredible 11 hours and 5 minutes! The match was between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut and spanned over three days. Isner ultimately won the fifth set 70-68, making it a historic moment in sports. This marathon match not only set records for duration but also for the most games played and most aces served. It’s a testament to endurance and determination in the world of tennis!

The FiberXers looked down the barrel of a 1-2 disadvantage before forcing a decider in the PBA Governors’ Cup’s best-of-five quarterfinals at Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Friday, 114-100, behind a stellar game from Converge’s sophomore guard.

However, instead of basking in the glory of his exemplary game that pushed the series to a rubber match, Winston credited the dub to the entire FiberXers squad.

Winston led all Converge scorers with 26 points plus six rebounds and five assists to match.

Helping Winston on the offensive end was big man Justin Arana and import Jalen Jones, who dropped 25 and 22 points, respectively.

The job, however, is still very far from finished for Winston.

In only his second PBA go-around, Winston will be given the task to perform in his first-ever do-or-die game in the playoffs.

"Basketball teaches us the importance of teamwork, dedication, and perseverance."

The Filipino racer of ART Grand Prix will compete in the final round of Euro 4 starting on Friday and in the Italian F4 Championship Round 7 from October 24 to 27.

American life was already changing when nine Stanford women strode onto the court April 4, 1896 at San Francisco’s Page Street Armory to take on the University of California in the world’s first women’s intercollegiate basketball game.

That September, the state’s male electorate would weigh a proposal to give California women the vote. (It lost, finally passing in 1911.) Automobiles were already starting to appear on the streets.

As the Armory game tipped off, many of the 700 women spectators felt themselves witnesses to similar societal change. All three big San Francisco newspapers sent women writers and artists to cover the historic contest, for men were banned for modesty’s sake. Denied admission, men climbed the roof and peered in the windows. Women inside fended them off with sticks.

“There is not an instant of ennui in basket ball. All is motion, change, excitement,” the Chronicle reporter wrote.

Yet it wasn’t, not by modern standards.

The game invented by James Naismith only four years earlier quickly became so popular among women that a Smith College instructor adapted the rules for what were thought to be women’s physical and psychological frailties.

Each half of the Armory court was zoned in thirds according to the so-called “half-court” rules that prevailed in the women’s game with few changes through the 1960s. Three players were consigned to each zone. Each could possess the ball for five seconds and dribble it twice. Only the “home” players at the net could shoot.

And at the net, Berkeley’s players, though said by reporters present to be taller and have better hair, were weak.

“The girls they had depended upon to score for them missed the basket repeatedly,” the Chronicle observed.

The game was tied at 1-1 when Stanford’s Agnes Morley, ’00, executed “a long, fine, straight throw clean from the shoulder” for the win. Morley was a rancher’s daughter from New Mexico who had already hunted bears – real ones – and once subdued a rowdy teenager at the rural school where she briefly taught by punching him in the gut.

She and her teammates returned to Palo Alto as heroes, met by cheering male crowds and a Stanford Band serenade.

But it was all too much, too soon. In December 1899, Stanford put an end to women’s intercollegiate team sports, according to the faculty, “for the good of the students’ health” and, according to the Daily, for “the unpleasant publicity accompanying the contests.”

Such reactions stemmed from anxiety over the changing times, wrote Stanford player and author Mariah Burton Nelson, ’78, in her book The Stronger Women Get, The More Men Love Football: “an actual fear … that women’s growing athleticism somehow threatened not only men and men’s sports but the very nature of things: men on top.”

Stanford also muted its support for other women’s sports. The women’s tennis team, for example, failed to get Block S varsity letters as their male counterparts did, but instead sweaters that said “Tennis,” on the grounds that their own tournament with Cal lacked recognition as an intercollegiate contest.

Even so, the basketball players sneaked across the Bay to Berkeley and played a rematch in 1900, according to Sue Macy, author of Basketball Belles, a children’s book on the historic 1896 game. This time, they walloped Cal 7-0 before fading into sports obscurity.

It took decades and the implementation of federal Title IX before women’s sports at Stanford or the rest of America redeemed the promise of the Cardinal’s historic 1896 win.

But when it did, Stanford women were ready. Stanford won NCAA championships in 1990 and 1992 under great Coach Tara VanDerveer and reached the Final Four in 12 of its last 27 seasons. Meanwhile, in 1995, the university retroactively awarded Block S varsity letters to 2,200 women who had competed at Stanford in the decades before Title IX.

The 1896 game stands as a monument to the players’ progressivism, athletic skill and pride.

“It’s always been so surprising that this first game took place on the West Coast when basketball itself started in the East,” Macy said. “The colleges were so conscious on the health of the women that they didn’t want to overtax them.

“But the West Coast upstarts had other ideas. Thanks to them, Stanford has a legitimate claim to being the first women’s basketball power,” Macy said. “And they still are.”

The Philippine Table Tennis Federation (PTTF) hailed Cruz’s latest feat, optimistic that she will continue to get better with the goal of qualifying for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

“PTTF is really proud of Cruz accomplishments after winning two WTT Under 19 youth contender Championships in less than a year. We believe in her abilities, and with proper support, training and guidance, we believe that she is our best bet to represent the Philippines in the 2028 Olympics. She has a very bright future ahead of her,” said PTTF president Ting Ledesma.

Cruz will continue to compete in the United States in the coming weeks as she is entered in the Westchester Open, Alabama Nationals, and the San Francisco WTT Youth Contender.

The young Morgan carried out his undergraduate studies at the Springfield College of the YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) where he met James Naismith who, in 1891, had invented basketball. After graduating, Morgan spent his first year at the Auburn (Maine) YMCA after which, during the summer of 1895, he moved to the YMCA at Holyoke (Massachusetts) where he became director of physical education. In this role he had the opportunity to establish, develop and direct a vast programme of exercises and sport classes for male adults.

His leadership was enthusiastically accepted, and his classes grew in numbers. He came to realise that he needed a certain type of competitive recreational game in order to vary his programme. Basketball, a sport that was beginning to develop, seemed to suit young people, but it was necessary to find a less violent and less intense alternative for the older members.

At that time Morgan knew of no similar game to volleyball which could guide him; he developed it from his own sports training methods and his practical experience in the YMCA gymnasium. Describing his first experiments he said:

In search of an appropriate game, tennis occurred to me, but this required rackets, balls, a net and other equipment, so it was eliminated, but the idea of a net seemed a good one. We raised it to a height of about 6 feet, 6 inches (1.98 metres) from the ground, just above the head of an average man. We needed a ball and among those we tried was a basketball bladder, but this was too light and too slow. We therefore tried the basketball itself, which was too big and too heavy.

This is an inflection point for Indian badminton,” says Gopichand. “The last few years have been very successful, but largely at the individual level. We have depth in the singles and a strong doubles pair capable of beating the best in the world. Moreover, the entire unit worked as a team. This is what has made ours a formidable team that can take on the best of other leading badminton-playing nations."

Over the course of a week at Impact Arena in Bangkok, Team India played with flair and without fear to defeat five-time champions Malaysia a

The team advanced to the semifinals at the expense of Malaysia, 3-0.

It marked the first time that the Philippines assured itself of a medal in badminton since the 2015 Games in Singapore where Ronel Estanislao and Joper Escueta bagged the men’s double bronze.

Bianca Carlos booked the Philippines a semifinals berth with a 21-16, 21-18 win over 18-year-old Siri Nurshuhaini in the second singles’ match.

Mika De Guzman, earlier, pulled off a close 24-22, 21-18 decision over Tan Zhing Yi to put the Filipinas on the board first before the duo of Thea Pomar and Alyssa Leonardo outlasted Low Yeen Yuan and Valeree Siow 22-20, 19-21, 24-22 for a commanding 2-0 lead.

Singapore’s Hee Yong Kai Terry and Nge Joo Jie booted out Solomon Padiz Jr. and Julius Villabrille from medal contention, 13-21, 21-19, 21-18.

The medal chances already looked bleak for the men’s team at the start of the day when Loh Kean Yew swept Jewel Angelo Albo, 21-14, 21-13.

Did you know that Angel Canino have tons of different individual awards? Here‘s the awards of Angel Canino.

Best opposite

AVC Challenge Cup 2024

22.50 points to ranking

Best outside hitter

UAAP 2022/23

7.50 points to ranking

MVP

UAAP 2022/23

10.00 points to ranking

Best outside hitter

SSL Collegiate Conference 2022/23

After Messi's 41 and Ronaldo's 40, the legendary Poland striker Robert Lewandowski placed third in the Guinness World Records chart with nine titles. Polish striker holds major records in Bundesliga, Germany's premier football league, before joining Spanish club Barcelona as Messi's replacement prior to the 2021-22 season.

The fourth footballer in the Guinness World Records chart is Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe with five titles, one more than his club teammate and legendary Brazilian footballer fifth-placed Neymar. Mbappe won the Golden Boot award for scoring eight goals in the FIFA World Cup 2022 and is arguably the most valuable forward in world football onright now.

Pia Elizabeth Bidaure, Gabrielle Monica Bidaure, and Phoebe Nicole Amistoso delivered the first fold for the sport after beating Vietnam, 5-4, in the final.

Myanmar got the bronze after foiling Malaysia, 5-4.

Abby Bidaure, 20, hit the bullseye in the final arrow of the shoot-off for a 10 with just 10 seconds left on the clock, outlasting the home side with a thrilling 26-25 victory.

Her sister, Pia knew that Abby would hit the bullseye to lift their team to a dramatic finish.

The Filipino archers battled back with a 57-49 win in the fourth frame after they went down 1-2 in the first three to force a shoot-off.

“Of course, I’m very happy. This is our first gold. We really trust each other. In practice, we developed our shooting. We’re really confident that we will reach this,” said Amistoso in Filipino.

The archery squad gets a chance to shoot for its second gold Thursday when it battles Malaysia in the finals of the compound bow mixed team event.

Paul dela Cruz and Jennifer Jing Chan shot a perfect last end, coming from behind to edge Thailand 155-154 in the semis last Tuesday while the Malaysians beat Vietnam 154-152.

Mark Julius and Kaizen are both members of the Pilipinas Obstacle Sports Federation (POSF) National Team recognized by the Philippine Olympic Committee and PSC (Philippine Sports Commission) bested the field with 27.12 and 39.42 seconds. The previous records were 29.92 and 49.70.

Justin Patterson an adjudicator from the GUINNESS WORLD Records declared this during the awards ceremony at the Arcovia City. “I am officially here to see the World Records. As you know after several attempts, today will break the current world record for the fastest 100meter Obstacle Course Race competition in (FISO) for both male and female categories.” He mentioned that after reviewing all the relevant data and evidence and inferring to my judgement about the race guidelines, he declared today’s attempt by Mark Julius and Kaizen as official.

Completing the podium for the PHILIPPINE OCR100M OPEN are first runner up Przemyslaw Janczuk in 28.11 s and 2nd Runner up - Jakub Zawistowski at 30.87. Przemyslaw Janczuk is the current European OCR100M record holder.

Joining Kaizen in the podium for female are Precious Cabuya at 40.01 and Milky Mae Tejares at 44.68s. Precious is also a member of the Ninja National Team of POSF while 2019 SEA Games gold medalist Milky Mae is part of the female coaching team.

The 2-day event started with an elimination round on Saturday which was joined by 18 athletes from around the Philippines.

50 age groupers also competed which consists of athletes as young as 17 years old to 56 year old competitors. The young athletes from Palawan State University and the island of Boracay who flew in for the competition impressed during the event.

The first day ended with 12 para athletes which consists of amputees and visually impaired individuals who has shown that obstacles have no limits.

The event concluded with a fun costume OCR challenge participated by seasoned and new obstacle course racers.

Every sport has its heroes, but few reach the level of fame attained by sprinter Usain St Leo Bolt (JAM). Not only holder of the 100 m and 200 m records, he is also the first athlete to win the 100 m and 200 m at successive Olympic Games. But how did the fastest man become an athletics superstar?Usain Bolt was often accused of being hyperactive when growing up. In his early teens, he turned to sport as a way of putting this excess energy to good use.

Bolt’s first passion was cricket, but on noting his speed, his parents encouraged him to focus on track and field. His first medal – a bronze – was achieved at his high school at the age of 13. Although it was for 80 m hurdles, this early win served to galvanize his athletics ambitions.

In 2002, he made his global debut at the IAAF World Junior T&F Championships in Kingston, Jamaica. Running the 200 m in 20.61 sec, he earned his country’s only individual gold at the event, aged just 15.

Despite a period of illness, Bolt came back fighting at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, breaking records for the 100 m, 200 m and 4 x 100 m relay – all of which he beat again in subsequent competitions.

Asked how he felt about receiving a medal during GWR’s 60th anniversary (above), Bolt told us: “When one thinks of Guinness World Records, automatically, extraordinary and remarkable comes to mind. So for me to be included, I am truly honored and delighted.”

Chiles, with the support of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and USA Gymnastics, filed the appeal on Monday, a little over a month after CAS voided an on-floor appeal by Chiles’ coach Cecile Landi during the event finals on Aug. 5 that vaulted Chiles from fifth to third.

CAS, following a hearing requested by Romanian officials, ruled Landi’s appeal came 4 seconds beyond the 1-minute time limit for scoring inquiries and recommended the initial finishing order be restored. The International Gymnastics Federation complied and the International Olympic Committee ended up awarding bronze to Romanian Ana Barbosu on Aug. 16.

Chiles’ appeal maintains that the CAS hearing violated her “right to be heard” by refusing to allow video evidence that Chiles and USA Gymnastics believe showed Landi appealed within the 1-minute time allotment. Chiles’ appeal also argues that Hamid G. Gharavi, president of the CAS panel, has a conflict of interest due to past legal ties to Romania.

USA Gymnastics wrote in a statement Monday night that it made a “collective, strategic decision to have Jordan lead the initial filing. USAG is closely coordinating with Jordan and her legal team and will make supportive filings with the court in the continued pursuit of justice for Jordan.”

The appeal is the next step in what could be a months- or years-long legal battle over the gymnastics scores.

Chiles was last among the eight women to compete during the floor exercise finals initially given a score of 13.666 that placed her fifth, right behind Barbosu and fellow Romanian Sabrina Maneca-Voinea. Landi called for an inquiry on Chiles’ score.

“At this point, we had nothing to lose, so I was like ‘We’re just going to try,’” Landi said after the awards ceremony. “I honestly didn’t think it was going to happen, but when I heard her scream, I turned around and was like ‘What?’”

Judges awarded the appeal, leapfrogging Chiles past Barbosu and Maneca-Voinea for the last spot on the podium.

Romanian officials appealed to CAS on several fronts while also asking a bronze medal be awarded to Chiles, Barbosu and Maneca-Voinea. The FIG and the IOC ultimately gave the bronze to Barbosu, who beat her teammate on a tiebreaker because she produced a higher execution score during her routine.

- This trick named after the Soviet gymnast Olga Korbut, the Korbut Flip was first introduced in the 1972 Munich Olympics. This skill became a signature move for Korbut and inspired many gymnasts around the world.

- Because of it, she won four gold medals and two silver medals at the 1972 and 1976 Games for the Soviet team.

•Radka Zemanova

-A Czechoslovakian gymnast who competed in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Radka Zemanova was known for her performances on uneven bars, including the Dead Loop. Her dynamic and powerful routines highlighted her exceptional talent and bravery.

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•Why is the dead loop banned in Olympics?

-The dead loop will not feature at Paris 2024 as it is no longer allowed at the Olympics.

-The reason this flip is banned is because it can cause serious injury, due to its complexity.

Because if the high level of risk involved in performing the dead loop it has been banned from competitive gymnastics since the 1980s.

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“When he practices the two-point shot, he’s like, ‘ehhh.’ When he practices threes, he gets a little bit excited,” a euphoric Cone said. “But when he practices fours, grabe! This guy likes bang, bang, bang, bang, bang! He really loves that four-point shot.”