The brightest young stars of Philippine sports will take the spotlight on Saturday, Oct. 11, at the 5th Nickel Asia Corporation (NAC) Siklab Youth Sports Awards as top performers from the 2025 Palarong Pambansa and Batang Pinoy Games lead a powerhouse roster of honorees.
Swimmer Titus Sia leads a group of rising starts who will be honored in the event presented by the Philippine Sports Commission after collecting seven gold medals from the pool, sweeping all his events, including resetting three Palarong Pambansa records in the elementary division.
Then there’s archer Naina Tagle, now a two-time Siklab awardee, who shattered two Palaro standards in secondary girls’ archery that highlighted her four-gold haul while Mar Aviel Carredo likewise shone with six gold medals in chess.
Duplicating Carredo’s feat was Bhenz Rudolf Owen Semilla after the latter amassed six gold medals in dancesport in this year’s Palaro held in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. Gymnast King Cjay Pernia likewise climbed up the podium multiple times with four gold medals.
From the Batang Pinoy Games in Puerto Princesa, Hazel May Risma emerged as a standout in athletics with four golds and two silvers. Swimmer Albert Jose Amaro II, another two-time Siklab honoree, broke three Batang Pinoy records while collecting four gold medals.
Pasig City’s youth program produced several multi-gold winners, including gymnast Haylee Garcia and swimmer Arvin Naeem Taguinota II with five golds each, and archer Mariano Matteo Medina IV with three.
The Siklab Youth Sports Awards is supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, CEL Logistics, MVPSF, Smart/PLDT, Go For Gold, Homegrown, Orich and Blue Hydra.
Special distinctions were also conferred during the ceremony: world champion gymnast Carlos Yulo was named Sports Idol of the Year, Philippine gymnastics chief Cynthia Carrion received the Lifetime Achievement Award, and businessman Christian Gonzalez was honored as Godfather of the Year.
Para athlete Alyana Nunez was the lone honoree from para sports, recognized for her triple gold performance in shotput, discus throw, and long jump at the 2024 Philippine National Para Games.
She repeated her dominance at the 2025 Palarong Pambansa, winning golds in shotput, long jump, and the 100m dash.
Also recognized for their excellence are Gian Karlo Arca (chess), Praj dela Cruz (climbing), Thirdy Mana-ay (cycling), Khian Felipe (fencing), Rianne Malixi (golf), Mikayla Dominique Aguirre (ice hockey), and jiujitsu standouts Bailey Heinsohn and Amaris Villanueva.
The event will also spotlight judokas Jhenica Raijah Serrano and Kyra Abella, rower Evan Jugadora, modern pentathlete Frazier Ygot, karatekas Wilfredo Apellido III and Ysabella Arwen Varias, obstacle course racer Gianna Quintela, and surfer Mara Lopez.
Named as Super Kids Awardees are wakeboarder Kherlie Santiago, squash players Lyra Kate Trasmil and Aerra JC Mae Relano, gymnast Elizabeth Antone, fencer Sophia Shekainah Catantan, and boxers Ermalie Caballero, Xian Baguhin, and Clark Vicera.
