Olympic golden boy Carlos Yulo, pool ace Chezka Centeno, boxing champ Melvin Jerusalem and top golfer Miguel Tabuena took turns flying the Philippine flag high in top-caliber competitions throughout October.
Yulo, the history-making double-gold medalist in the Paris Olympics, extended his brilliance to the 53rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Jakarta, copping top honors in vault (14.866) while snaring the bronze in floor exercise (14.533 points).
Centeno reigned supreme in the WPA Women’s 10-Ball World Championship in Bali, beating Rubilen Amit in an exciting all-Filipina finale, 3-2, to join the latter in the record books as the competition’s only two-time champions. Centeno previously won in 2023.
Headlining the ‘Thrilla in Manila’ commemorative event at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Jerusalem dispatched South African challenger Siyakholwa Kuse by unanimous decision to retain his World Boxing Council minimumweight title.
And with a dazzling show in front of adoring home supporters at Sta. Elena Golf Club, Tabuena pulled off an emotional triumph at the International Series Philippines, the largest golf event in the country in 30 years in terms of field and prize money.
Tabuena scored a three-stroke victory against a stacked field bannered by major champions and banked $360,000.
The four shared billing as the Philippine Sportswriters Association’s top achievers for the 10th month of 2025.
There were more noteworthy victories from fellow stalwarts of Team Philippines.
Grandmaster Rogelio ‘Joey’ Antonio Jr., 63, ruled the 50-above category of the blitz event of the FIDE World Senior Championships in Gallipoli, Italy, leading a 1-2 finish with FIDE Master Mario Mangubat.
Olympian weightlifter Elreen Ando claimed the bronze in clean and jerk (131kg) in the women’s 63kg division of the IWF World Championships in Forde, Norway.
Woman FIDE Master Jemaicah Mendoza, 13, placed third in the Girls U14 category at the World Youth Chess Championships in Durres, Albania with 8.5 points and Paralympian Achelle Guion, competing in the women’s up to 54 kg class, got a podium finish in the Best-Legend event (80kg) in the World Para Powerlifting Championships in Cairo.
Youngsters gave the Philippines its best performance in the Asian Youth Games in Bahrain. Kram Airam Carpio (pencak silat), Charlie Ratcliff (mixed martial arts), Lyre Anie Ngina and Zeth Gabriel Bueno (muay), the mixed tandem of Jan Brix Ramiscal and Tyron Jamborillo (muay), Pi Durden Wangkay (athletics), and Isabella Joseline Butler (jiu jitsu) struck to power the seven-gold, seven-silver and 10-bronze harvest.
Tennis sensation Alex Eala continued her rise in the WTA, reaching 51st in the rankings after the Guangzhou Open and moving closer to her targeted spot in the Top 50.
