Athletics Champions

Athletics has produced a number of gold medals for the Philippines in the Far Eastern Games before the war. It also gave the country two bronze medals in the Olympics and 11 gold medals in the Asian Games.

In the 1920s, two Filipinos were among the world's fastest men. In the 1930s, a Filipino was considered Asia's best athlete. From the 1950s to the 1980s, Filipino women were among the fastest in Asia.

Simeon Toribio
Simeon Toribio, the pride of Zamboanga, was considered the "Filipino Field Athlete of the Half Century" and "Asia's Best Athlete" for winning gold medals in the high jump event in the Far Eastern Olympics in 1921, 1923, 1927, 1930 and 1934 and a bronze medal in the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics.

According to author Jorge Afable, Toribio could have won the gold medal, if not only for the "call of nature." It was a grueling four-hour competition to jump over the bar raised at 6 feet and six inches high. Toribio, who once made the jump, failed to overcome it the second time because he was distressed by call of nature. Before this, Toribio narrowly missed the bronze in the 1928 Amsterdam Games.

In 1930, Toribio was awarded the Helms World Trophy for being Asia's greatest athlete. He became a lawyer and a congressman representing Bohol province where he later settled.

Miguel White
Miguel White, a former army officer with an American father, represented the Philippines in the 1936 Berlin Olympics where he must have met American track and field legend Jesse Owens. White brought home a bronze medal in 400-meter hurdles event.

Nepomuceno and Catalon
Two Filipinos - David Nepomuceno and Fortunato Catalon - were considered world-class sprinters in the 1920s. The two, rivals in the local scene, have hauled gold medals from the Far Eastern Games.

In 1924, Nepomuceno represented the Philippines in the Paris Olympiad where he ran the 100 meters in 10.8 seconds and was clocked 22.5 seconds in the 200-meter dash. In 1925, Nepomuceno ran the 100 meters in only two-tenths of a second short of the world record then.

Meanwhile, Charles Paddock, the fastest man in the 1920s, in a visit to the Philippines, described Fortunato Catalon as your "champion of champions".

Andres Franco
Andres Franco won a gold medal in the high jump event at the 1951 New Delhi Asiad and a bronze medal in the same event at the 1954 Manila Asiad.

Other Male Sprinters
Genaro Cabrera, who finished the 100-meter race in 10.7 seconds, won the silver medal at the 1954 Manila Asiad. Isaac Gomez won a bronze in the same event at the 1958 Tokyo Asiad while Rogelio Onofre added another bronze at the 1962 Jakarta Asiad. Enrique Bautista also clinched the bronze in the 200-meter dash at the 1958 Tokyo Asiad. In the 400-meter race, Pablo Somblingo won the silver at the 1958 Tokyo Asiad and Isidro del Prado also got the silver at the 1986 Seoul Asiad.

Lydia De Vega
Lydia de Vega-Mercado was considered Asia's fastest woman in the 1980s. As Asia's sprint queen, she ran away with the gold medal in the 100-meter dash in the 1982 New Delhi Asiad and duplicated the feat in the 1986 Seoul Asiad where she was clocked 11.53 seconds. She also brought home a silver medal in the 200-meter race from the 1986 Seoul Asiad. De Vega now serves as a councilor of her native Meycauayan town in Bulacan province.

Mona Sulaiman
Before Lydia de Vega entered the scene, there was Mona Sulaiman, a Mindanao-born sprinter who was declared Asia's fastest woman when she won two gold medals in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash events at the 1962 Jakarta Asiad. She finished the 100-meter race in 11.93 seconds ahead of two Japanese runners and the 200-meter sprint in 24.63 seconds ahead of a Japanese and a Sri Lankan. She also won a bronze in shot put event at the 1962 Jakarta Asiad.

Inocencia Solis
Inocencia Solis was declared the fastest women in All of Asia in 1958 when she finished the 100-meter sprint in 12.5 seconds ahead of two Japanese runners in the Tokyo Asian Games. Before this, she won the bronze medal in the 200-meter dash event at the 1954 Manila Asiad. She was from Iloilo City.

Amelita Alanes
Amelita Alanes won the silver medal in the 200-meter dash at the 1970 Bangkok Asiad.

Rogelia Ferrer
Rogelia Ferrer, a hurdler, was an Asian Games medallist in the 1950s. Ferrer was born in Negros Occidental province.

Lolita Lagrosas
Lolita Lagrosas had collected a total of five Asiad medals. She won the silver medals in women's high jump event at the 1958 Tokyo Asiad and 1966 Bangkok Asiad and the bronze in the same event at the 1970 Bangkok Asiad. She clinched the bronze medals in pentathlon at the 1966 and 1970 Bangkok Asiads.

Visitacion Badana
Visitacion Badana brought home the gold medal in the long jump event from the 1958 Tokyo Asiad.

Josephine dela Vina
Josephine dela Vina clinched the gold medal in the discuss throw event at the 1966 Bangkok Asiad. Before this, she won the bronze in the same event at the 1962 Jakarta Asiad.

Elma Muros
Elma Muros-Posadas, a sprinter, hurdler and long jumper, has collected a total of 13 gold medals from her numerous stints at the Southeast Asian Games. She also brought home a bronze medal in 400-meter hurdles from the 1990 Beijing Asiad and another bronze in long jump from the 1994 Hiroshima Asiad.

Relay Champions
The Philippine men's team won the gold medals in the 4 x 100 meter relay at the 1958 Tokyo Asiad and 1962 Jakarta Asiad and the bronze medals in 1951, 1954 and 1966. In the 4 x 400 meter relay, the Philippine men's team won bronze in 1951, 1954, 1958 and 1986.

Meanwhile, the Philippine women's team won the gold medal in the 4 X 100 meter relay at the 1962 Jakarta Asiad and the silver at the 1958 Tokyo Asiad. It won the bronze medals at the 1954 Manila Asiad and at the 1978 Bangkok Asiad.

Other Track and Field Stars
Among other athletes who have rewarded the country with honor by their sterling performance in track and field are Aurelio Amante, Leopoldo Anillo, Marcelina Alonzo, Roberta Anore, Jovencio Ardina, Erasma Arellano, Gaspar Azares, Visitacion Badana, Lerma Balauitan Ciriaco Baronda, Hector Begeo, Tomas Bennet, Eduardo Buenavista, Manolita Cinco, Artemio Cortez, and Isabel Cruz;

Eusebio Ensong, Susano Erang, Romero Gido, Arsenio Jasmin, Lolita Lagrosas, Honesto Larce, Erlinda Lavandia, Bievenido Llaneda, Tokal Mokalam, Cristabel Martes;

Cipriano Niera, Irene Penuela, Jaime Pimentel, Nilo Ramirez, Visitacion Ribagorda, Ernesto Rodriguez, Amelita Saberon, Fracisca Sanopal, Vivencia Subido, Lydia Sylvanetto, Lucila Tolentino and Roy Vence.

Golfers

Golf produced a golf medal for the Philippines in the 1986 Asian Games, courtesy of Ramon Brobio, a former world junior champion. Aside from Brobio, other young golfers who have given the country honor include Dorothy Delasin, Jennifer and Gerald Rosales, Gerard Cantada, Carlito Villaroman, Tom Concon, Ruby Chico, Philip Ang, Dottie Ardina and Mary Grace Estuesta.

Since 1978, young Filipino golfers have won several world titles like the Junior World Championships in San Diego, California; the Asia Pacific Junior Golf Confederation; and the Toppolino trophy in Italy.

The country has also produced world-class golfers in the persons of Ben Arda, Celestino Tugot, Caloy Nival and Frankie Minoza, who have joined international tours in Asia, Europe and the United States.

Dorothy Delasin
Dorothy Delasin, a daughter of a Filipino couple living in Daly City, is a two-time Filipino Athlete of the Year awardee, for winning three world championships (as this was being written). Delasin won the LPGA Giant Eagle Classic for two consecutive years, first in 2000 when she was only 19 and then in 2001, becoming the youngest LPGA winner in 25 years. She was the Rookie of the Year in 2000.

In October 2001, she clinched her third international title by beating the world's top 20 women players in the Samsung World Championship in Vallejo, California.

In 1999, the California Golf Writers Association named her as the Amateur Golfer of the Year for her string of victories. As an amateur, she captured the US Women's Amateur Championship, California Women's Championship and US Girls Championship. In 1993, she won the Junior World Cup held in Japan.

In 1996, she won a gold medal for the Philippines in the 1996 Southeast Asian Games and a bronze in the 1998 Bangkok Asiad. She also represented the country in the 1996 World Amateurs.

Delasin was born in Lubbock, Texas and lives with her family in Daly City, otherwise known as the "Adobo City" because of its huge Filipino population.

Ramon Brobio
Ramon Brobio gave the country a gold medal in golf at the Asian Games. He accomplished the feat in 1986 when he defeated other bets from Asian countries in men's individual golf title. Before this, Brobio became the first triple winner of the 18th junior world golf championship held in San Diego, California on July 18, 1985.

Carlito Villaroman
Carlito Villaroman holds the 15 under par record at the Boy's Class A Division of the Junior World Championship.

Jennifer Rosales
Jennifer Rosales won the US NCAA Individual Championship in 1999. She also won the US NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championship held in Wisconsin on May 24, 1998. In 2002, Jennifer finished fourth at the British Open.

Gerald Rosales
Gerald Rosales, a brother of Jennifer, is a many-time champion at the Asian junior golf circuit.

Philip Ang
In July 1999, Philip Ang won the 1999 International Junior Championship (11-13 years old division title) at the Menifee Lakes Country Club in Temecula, California. He had to beat fellow Filipino Jenz Tecson and a Korean youngster to bag the title. Ang became the second Filipino to win the title after Gerard Cantada.

Dottie Ardina
In July 2002, Dottie Ardina won the 2002 Callaway Junior World golf championships - Class E division in San Diego, California.

Jayvee Agojo
In July 2002, Jayvee Agojo, a student of OB Montessori won the Temecula International Jr. Championships and the Optimist International Golf Championships in Florida.

Frankie Minoza
Frankie Minoza is a two-time Filipino Athlete of the Year awardee (1990, 1998) for his string of victories in the Asian Circuit, particularly in the lucrative Japanese PGA Tour. In May 2001, for example, he brought home some US$183,000 from the Fuji Sankei Classic in Japan. Before this, he won the Philippine Open and the Kirin Open in 1998.

In July 1998, Minoza finished 52nd at the British Open and outperformed defending champion Justin Leonard and Fred Couples. It was held at the Royal Birksdale course.

In August 1999, Minoza, ranked 56th in the world then, had the chance to play at the prestigious U.S. PGA Tour at the Sahalee Country Club in Redmond, Washington. Only the world's top 64 players were invited to the event. Minoza lost his first round match to former world number 1 Nick Price and settled for US$25,000.

Minoza was born in Bukidnon province in 1960.

Ben Arda
Ben Arda was the first Filipino who qualified to play at Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia and at the British Open. He also participated in a number of World Cups in the 1960s. Arda won the Philippine Open three times during his professional career and clinched the Asia Golf Circuit overall championship in 1969. He was born in Cebu.

Angelo Que
Angelo Que placed third at the World Amateur Championship held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2002.

Other Famous Golfers
Among other famous Filipino golfers who have participated in various international and local competitions include Gil and Cesar Ababa, Eddie Bagtas, Danilo Cabajar, Felix "Cassius" Casas, Rodrigo Cuello, Mary Grace Estueta, Antolin Fernando, Noli Kempis, Vince Lauron, Rogelio Leo, Bong Lopez, Rey Martin Luna, Mario Manubay, Caloy Nival, Robert Pactolerin, Juvic Pagunsan, Ria Denice Quiazon, Luis "Golem" Silverio, Norman Sto. Domingo, Celestino Tugot, Wilfredo Victoria, and Danny Zarate.

Chess Players

Chess has also contributed a lot to the country's winning tradition in sports. Filipinos take pride in having compatriots who became the first international master and grandmaster in Asia. In 1988, the country's top bets placed 7th in the 1988 World Chess Olympiad held in Thessaloniki, Greece. In the year 2000, the Philippine team finished 17th at the Istanbul Chess Olympiad. The Philippines has been participating in the Chess Olympiad since 1956.

Fernando Canon
Fernando Canon is considered the country's first chess champion. He won a chess tournament held in Barcelona, Spain in 1905.

Rodolfo Tan Cardoso
The first international master in Asia was Rodolfo Tan Cardoso, a Pangasinan born chess champion. Cardoso placed 5th in the world junior chess tournament in Toronto, Canada in 1957 and became the first Asian chess champion at the age of 25.

In his participation in world chess tournaments, Cardoso has defeated the likes of David Bronstein and Bobby Fischer and has drawn with former world number 1 Michael Tahl.

While Cardoso has gained a grandmaster norm, he failed to become a grandmaster.

Eugene Torre
Eugene Torre is considered as the first grandmaster in Asia. He accomplished the feat at the age of 22 and won a silver medal at the 21st World Chess Olympiad held in Nice, France in 1974 when the Philippines placed 11th overall. Torre has been a veteran of the World Chess Olympiad for three decades and led the Philippine team to a 7th place finish at the 1988 Greece Olympiad. He also has a collection of three Olympiad silver medals.

Grandmasters
Aside from Eugene Torre, the country had three other grandmasters, namely: Joey Antonio, Buenaventura "Bong" Villamayor, and Rosendo Balinas.

Mark Paragua
Mark Paragua placed fifth in the World Youth Chess Championships (boys' under 18) held in Crete, Greece in November 2002. Before this, Paragua became the country's youngest international master at the age of 16 in January 2000.

Glenn Bordonada
Glenn Bordonada won a gold medal in the 1978 Buenos Aires Chess Olympiad.

Rico Mascarinas
Rico Mascarinas won a gold medal in the 1982 Lucerne Chess Olympiad.

Other Chess Champions
Other Filipino chess champions include Rogelio Barcenilla Jr., Richard Bitoon, Arianne Caoili, Kathrynn Cruz, Idelfonso Datu, Joy Lomibao, Nelson Mariano, Beverly Mendoza, Allan Petronio and Roca Sayson.

Tennis Aces

Tennis has produced three gold medals for the Philippines in the Asian Games. This sports event became famous in the country because of the exploits of Felicisimo Ampon, Eddie Cruz and Alredo Diy.

Felicisimo Ampon
Felicisimo Ampon, who was only five feet tall, was once considered the best tennis player in the world, pound for pound. Ampon, dubbed as the "Mighty Mite" won the Davis Cup singles championship in 1937 and the singles title in the Pan-American championship in Mexico City in 1950. Because of this, the Filipino tennis ace was declared the first Athlete of the Year by the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) in the same year.

He was a gold medallist in the Far Eastern Games before the war and clinched a doubles' gold with Raymundo Deyro in the 1958 Asian Games. He nearly defeated world number 1 Frank Seigman in the quarterfinals of the French Open in May 1952.

In 1953, Ampon won the Wimbledon Plate championship, a tournament among first- and second-round losers in the Wimbledon Open.

Raymundo Deyro
Raymundo Deyro brought home two gold medals from the 1958 Tokyo Asiad. He first won a gold medal in the singles event and teamed with Felicisimo Ampon for the doubles gold. In the 1962 Jakarta Asiad, Johnny Jose took the singles gold.

Eddie Cruz
Eddie Cruz was the First Filipino to have played in prestigious international tennis events like the US Open, the Italian Open, the French Open and the Wimbledon Open.

Alfredo Diy
Alfredo Diy was considered the dean of Philippine tennis. He represented the country in the 1934 Far Eastern Games and in the 1937 International Championships.

Other Tennis Champions
Among other Filipino tennis players who have represented the country in international tournaments include Felix Barrientos, Dyan Castillejo, Miguel Dungo Jr., Maricris Fernandez, Guillermo Hernandez, Johnny Jose, Bryan Juinio and Joseph Lizardo.

Sharp Shooters

Practical shooting is also a game where Filipinos excel. The Philippine shooting team, for example, won first place overall at the World Shooting Championship from 1999 to 2001. It was also the AustralAsian champion in 2001.

The names of Adolfo Feliciano, Jethro Dionisio, Jag Lejano, Athena Lee and Kay Cabalatungan are known in the shooting world as names of practical shooting champions. The Philippines has also hauled in a total of six gold medals from shooting competitions at the Asian Games since 1954.

Gold Medallists
At the 1954 Manila Asiad, Hernando Castelo Albert von Einsiedel, Chito Feliciano, Martin Gison each won a gold medal in shooting. Feliciano and Gison also won a gold medal each in the 1958 Tokyo Asiad.

Jethro "the Jet" Dionisio
Jethro Dionisio, dubbed as "the Jet" because of the speed of his hands, is a six-time world champion in pistol shooting. He won his first national title in 1989 at the age of 17. He won his first international title in California the following year. From practical shooting, Dionisio has now shifted to shotgun firing.

Adolfo Feliciano
Adolfo Feliciano won a gold medal, two silver medals and a bronze medal in the World Shooting Championships held in Germany in 1966. Two years later, he added two gold medals and a bronze medal in the same competition held in Phoenix, Arizona. Before this, he won a gold medal in the First Asian Shooting tournament held in Tokyo, Japan and a silver medal in "markmanship" (a demonstration event) at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

Athena Lee
In November 1999, Athena Lee won the Open Ladies title at the 12th World Shoot Championship. In 2002, Lee placed second to Kaye Cabalatungan in the same event. She is from Cagayan de Oro City.

Kaye Cabalatungan
On September 21, 2002, Kaye Cabalatungan won the ladies title at the 13th World Shoot Championship held in Pietersburg, South Africa. Ironically, she beat Athena Lee, another Filipina, to win the championship. Cabalatungan, Lee, Grace Tan and Amanda Kangleon also captured the ladies team title in the event held by the International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC). Cabalatungan was born in Negros Occidental province in 1981.

Other Shooting Champions
Among the Filipino shooters who have participated in various international meets include Jay Agayan, Eric Ang, Leopoldo Ang, Antonio Arguelles, Enrique Beech, Patricio Bernardo, Philip Chua, Roberto del Castillo, George Earnshaw, Ludovico Espinosa, Cesar Jayme, Jasmin Luis, Patrick Marvin, Simeon Lee, Arturo Macapagal, Jose Medina, Antonio Mendoza, Jamie Recio, Bernardo San Juan, Raymundo Quitoriano, Danny Torrevillas, Nelson Uygongco, and Jose Zalvidea.

Swimmers

Swimming has given the country numerous honors in the past. Filipino swimmers used to dominate the Far Eastern Games, a pre-war sports competition between the Philippines, Japan and China and the Asian Games in the 1950s. Filipino swimmers have fished two bronze medals from the Olympics and 10 gold medals from the Asian Games.

The likes of Teofilo Yldefonso and Haydee Coloso-Espino are among the many Filipino athletes who have swum to sports glory in this marvelous event.

Teofilo Yldefonso
Teofilo Yldefonso is considered as the finest Filipino swimmer ever. Known as the "Ilocano Shark", Yldefonso is best remembered for accomplishing two feats: being the first Filipino to win an Olympic medal and the only Filipino who won two Olympic medals. He won his first bronze medal at the 200-meter breaststroke event in the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics and his second bronze at the same event in the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics. His fastest time was 2 minutes and 48.4 seconds in the 200-meter breaststroke. Yldefonso was born in Piddig town, Ilocos Norte province.

Haydee Coloso-Espino
Haydee Coloso-Espino was acknowledged as the "Asian Swim Queen" in the 1950s. With a total haul of 10 medals, she is the most bemedalled Filipino athlete who participated in the Asian Games. Her medals include three golds, five silvers and two bronzes which she won in 1954 Manila Asiad, 1958 Tokyo Asiad and 1962 Jakarta Asiad. Her gold medals came from the 100-meter freestyle and butterfly events.

Ral Rosario
Ral Rosario, a participant in the 200-meter freestyle event, won the country's only gold medal in the 1978 Asian Games. Before this, Rosario won a silver medal in the 100-meter backstroke and another silver in the 200-meter backstroke in the 1974 Tehran Asiad. He later became the secretary-general of the Philippine Amateur Swimming Association (PASA).

Other Swimming Champions
Among the Filipino swimmers who have triumphed in various international competitions include Edgardo and Rosalina Abreu, Dolores and Rudy Agustin, C. Aiville, Lourdes Alba, Sotero Alcantara, Rene Amabuyok, Betina Abdula Ampoc, Ulpiano Bacol, Raul Badulis, Condrado Benitez, Edilberto Bonus, Edrin Borja, Carlos Brosas, Walter Brown, Eric Buhain, Bertulfo Cacheco, Victoria Cagayat, Jacinto Cayco, and Robert Collins;

Angel Comenares, Lorenzo Cortes, L. Cristobal, Victoria Cullen, Imlani Dae, Nancy Deanio, J. del Pan, Freddie Elizalde, Helen Elliot, Angela Fermin, Hedy Garcia Galang, Jocelyn, Sandra, Sonia and Sylvia Von Giese, Leroy Geoff, Norma Guerrero, Grace Gustimbase, Annurhussin Hamsain, and Sampang Hassan;

Christine Jacob, Jairulla Jaitulla, Amado Jimenez, Mark Joseph, Ana Labayan, Rolando Landrito, Agapito Lozada, Gertrudes Lozada, Nulsali Maddin, Mohammad Mala, Victorino Marcelino, Sukarno Maut, Ibenoratica Muksan, Parson Nabuila, Andres Ofilada, Eugeino Palileo, Ryan Papa, Encarnacion Partilo, Nurhatab Rajab, Lolita Ramirez, Bana Sailani, Artemio Salamat, Dan Salvador, Roland Santos, Akiko Thomson, Kemalpasa Umih, Serafin Villanueva, Artemio Villavieja, Erudito Vito, William "Billy" Wilson, and Norma Yldefonso.

Martial Arts Champions

Martial arts are undoubtedly popular in the Philippines because of the country's proximity to China, Japan and Korea where most of martial arts forms originated. There is a strong possibility that a Filipino martial artist will bag the country's first Olympic gold medal in the near future. In the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Filipino taekwondo-jins Stephen Fernandez and Bea Lucero brought home two bronze medals, although they were not included in the medal tally because taekwondo was just a demonstration sports in the quadrennial event.

Filipino wushu and taekwondo artists have won gold medals in international competitions. The Philippines is also the perennial champion in the World Eskrima Arnis Championship, owing to the fact that it is the Filipinos who introduced arnis to the world.

Roberto Cruz
Roberto Cruz became a world taekwondo champion in 1999 when he won a gold medal in the finweight division (56 kilograms) of the World Cup Taekwondo. Before this, he was a bronze medallist in the World Cup held in Germany in 1998. Cruz is also a five-time Southeast Asian Games champion.

Donald David Geisler
Donald Geisler won a silver medal in the 1998 World Cup Taekwondo held in Germany. He is also a Southeast Asian Games gold medallist.

Tshomlee Go
Tshomlee Go won a silver medal in the flyweight division of the World Cup Taekwondo 2001 Championships held in Vietnam. Before this, God also won a silver medal in the Asian Championship and a bronze medal in the US Open.

Eva Marie Ditan
Eva Marie Ditan won a silver medal in the flyweight division of the 1998 World Cup Taekwondo held in Sindelfingen, Germany.

Other Taekwondo Jins
Among other taekwondo jins who have participated in various international competitions include Margarita Bonifacio, Francis Cabarce, Daleen Cordero, Rodolfo Demafelix Jr, Eva Marie Ditan, Veronica Domingo, Aileen Embay, Edrick Galing, Donald Geisler, Jefferthom Go, John Paul Lizardo, Alessandro Lubiano, Dax Alberto Morfe, Osmundo Quitain, Jr., Magnolia Ragas, Manuel Rivero, Jr., Manuel Rosario II, Dindo Simpao, Sally Solis, Jasmin Strachan, Joaquin Vasquez and Ma. Nelia Sy-Ycasas.

Mark Rosales
Mark Robert Rosales, a cudgel champion, won a gold medal in the 4th World Wushu Championships held in Rome, Italy in November 1997. Rosales was an expert at cudgel play, a routine exercise that falls under the category of Taulu. The other category in wushu is Sanshou, or the combat exercise. The Philippine wushu team also won a silver medal, courtesy of Rolly Chulhang and three bronze medals during the same tournament, which was participated in by contestants from 76 countries.

Other Wushu Artists
Among other Filipino wushu artists who have competed in international tournaments include Jerome Calica, Bobby Co, Rolly Chulhang, Edouard Folayang, Daniel Go, Jerome Lumabas, Rexel Nganhayna, Marques Sanguiao; Marvin Sicomen, Arvin Ting, and Willy Wang.

Other Martial Arts Champions
Among other Filipino martial arts champions include Leo Gaje, Richard Anthony Lim, Gretchen Malalad, Maty Munieza, Mary Therese Nable, Jose Ma. Pabillore, and Gaudioso Ruby in karate; John Baylon, Neonie Esguerra, Aristotle Lucero, and Abraham Pulia in judo; and Jesse Diestro in sikaran.

Weightlifters

Weightlifting has produced a Filipino world champion and a bronze medal in the Paralympic Games. It is said that Anthony Clark, a super heavy weight lifter once dubbed as the world's strongest man, was born in Angeles City in Pampanga province.

Salvador del Rosario
Salvador del Rosario, a nephew of Olympian Rodrigo del Rosario, was declared the world's strongest man in the flyweight division when he plucked a gold medal in the World Weightlifting Championships held in Columbus, Ohio, USA in 1970. Del Rosario actually won the title by technicality because three of his top rivals were disqualified for using illegal drugs.

Angeline Dumapong
Angeline Dumapong gave the country its first medal in the Paralympic Games when she lifted 110 kilograms to win the bronze in the women's 82.5-kilogram division in Sydney, Australia in December 2000. Paralympics is a major sports competition participated in by differently-abled athletes from around the world and held just after the Olympics. Before this, Dumapong won gold medals at the Malaysia Paralympiad and the Asian Millennium Bench Press tournaments. She is from Ifugao province.

Rodrigo del Rosario
Rodrigo del Rosario nearly won a bronze medal when he placed fourth in weightlifting's featherweight division at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics.

Antonio Taguibao
Antonio Taguibao, a member of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) with the rank of lieutenant colonel, is a three-time World Masters champion in powerlifting at the 52-kilogram class. Taguibao won the title in 2000, 2001 and 2002. In the World Masters Powerlifting Championship held in Villa Maria, Argentina in October 2002, Taguibao actually won three gold medals and a silver medal by lifting a total of 963 pounds.

Other Weightlifting Champions
Among other Filipino weightlifters who have gained international exposure include Aurelio Amante, Rodolfo Caparas, Pedro Landero, Erlina Pecante, and Eddie Torres.

Batters

Softball and baseball were probably the most popular spectators' events in the Philippines before the war. There are historical claims that baseball was first played in Cavite province by American marines after they defeated the Spanish troops in 1898. Frenzy over these two games reached its peak in 1934, when Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and the rest of the American all-star team played at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila. If not only for the country's hot and wet weather, these two games would have been as popular today.

RP Blue Girls
The legendary RP-Blue Girls, led by pitcher Julita Tayo of San Miguel, Bulacan placed third in the World Softball Championship held in Tokyo, Japan in 1967. Other softball stars in the 1960s include Lourdes Balindao, Brigida Bellesta and Purita Jacinto.

San Miguel Softball Team
The Philippine team, composed of 14 girls aged between 14 and 16 years old from San Miguel, Bulacan could have won the Little League World Softball Championship held in Kalamazoo, Michigan in August 2000 if not for a controversial ruling. The other team in the final, the Santa Cruz Valley team from Arizona, had five boys in its lineup. Softball is traditionally an all-girls event.

The San Miguel team decided to forfeit its game in the final series in protest of rules employed in the traditionally all-girls world series. The girls may have not won the crown but drew the admiration and support of the American audience just the same. It even defeated the Santa Cruz team once, 3-2, prior to the championship.

Little League Champion
The all-boys team from Zamboanga City won the Little League World Baseball Championship in 1992, but was stripped of their title after American organizers of the event found out that some of the boys in the Zamboanga team were over the age limit.

Other Champion Teams
Philippine softball teams were perennial winners at the Far Eastern Games, thereby advancing to the World Series held in the United States. Among these teams were the Maynila Golden Girls and the Guagua Little League Girls' Softball team.

Racers

Racing has also produced world-class Filipino athletes, among them are Angelo Barreto, Jovy Marcelo, Jojo Silverio and Enzo Pastor. In motorsports, there are also Glenn Aguilar, Dodie Ayuyao and Kenneth San Andres.

Angelo Barreto
Angelo Barreto is perhaps the most successful Filipino racer so far. He won several times at the European Endurance Touring Car Circuit in 2000 and at the Group N Touring Cars Championships also in Europe. In September 2002, Barreto was a part of a three-man team that won the championship in Le Mans Classic in France. The tournament was participated in by 600 racers with cars manufactured from 1925 to 1975. Barreto co-drove a 1966 Porsche 906 Carrera 6 with Thierry Perrier. Barreto's other teammate was Jean-Paul Richard.

More Champions

The list includes more athletes who have participated and won in various international competitions. One limitation of this list is that it may have focused more on the present batch of athletes, but this is not intentional. Availability of information is also a problem encountered by legitimate sports institutions like the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) or the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC).

Mikee Cojuangco
Mikee Cojuangco, a former actress and mother of two, clinched a gold medal in the equestrian individual show jumping event at the 14th Asian Games held in Busan, South Korea in October 2002. Mikee was 28 then. Before this, Mikee won a silver medal in the team show jumping category alongside teammates Danielle Schulze Cojuangco, Toni Leviste, and Maria Michelle Berrera. Mikee is a daughter of former Tarlac Governor Margarita Cojuangco and former Congressman Jose Cojuangco, a younger brother of former President Corazon Aquino. Her husband is Dodot Jaworski, the son of basketball legend and Senator Robert Jaworski.

Other equestrians who have gained international recognition include Fidelino Barba and Jose Montila.

Pia Adelle Reyes
Pia Adelle Reyes, a young gymnast, won three gold medals at the Jakarta Southeast Asian Games in 1997. The Philippine Sportswriters Assocation (PSA) later declared Reyes and world boxing champion Gerry Penalosa as 1997 Athletes of the Year. Gymnastics has also produced fine champions like Rolando Albuera and Bea Lucero.

Dragon Boat Champion
The Philippine team won the gold medal in Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Race 2001. The Philippine Canoe Kayak Federation-Dragon Pilipinas finished ahead of the pack composed of participants from Hong Kong, Canada, Germany, Japan, China and Malaysia.

Well-known Filipino rowers who had international exposure include Alvin Amposta, Nestor Cordova, Jose Rodriguez, and Benjie Tolentino.

Ice Skaters
The SM-Philippine ice-skating team won 12 gold medals to finish third overall in the 1999 World Recreational Team Championships held in California, USA. The team also won 44 gold medals to place 4th at the 2001 ISI World Recreational Team Championships held in Columbus, Ohio. The international competition draws participants from the United States, Japan, Mexico, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia and the Philippines.

Other Champions
Other Filipino athletes who have gained international exposure include Ramon Aldean, Jennifer Chan, Purita Joy Marino, and Janina Bianco Ortiz in archery; Amparo Lim in badminton; Roman Cortuna Jr., Levy Macasiano and Alfredo Trazona Jr. in bodybuilding; Deogracias Asuncion, Warren Davadilla, Victor Espiritu, Diomedes Pantaleon, Edgardo Pagarigan and Placido Valdez in cycling; Deborah Civardi and Alberto Dimarucot in dancesports; Bumbi Velasco in dart; Zardo Domenios and Sheila Mae Perez in diving; Wally Mendoza in fencing; Ildefonso Tronqued Sr. in football; John Dee, Paul and Wacky del Rosario, and Carlo Garcia in jet ski; Memo Gracia and Bautista Heguy in polo; Policarpio Ortega in windsurfing; and Nicolas Arcales, Basilio Fabia and Mansueto Napilay in wrestling.


Bowlers

Bowling, one of the four big Bs of Philippine sports is no doubt a field where Filipinos have excelled in. Two Filipinos have been included in the 1993 inaugural International Bowling Hall of Fame, namely: Paeng Nepomuceno and Bong Coo. Bowling has also produced an Olympic gold medal and six Asiad gold medals for the Philippines. Too bad, bowling was just a demonstration sports when Arianne Cerdena won a gold in the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Nevertheless, Filipinos have already etched their names on top of more than 100 million bowlers worldwide.

Rafael "Paeng" Nepomuceno
Paeng owns the following distinctions: "Greatest Filipino Athlete of All Time", "Athlete of the Century", and "International Bowling Athlete of the Millennium." He has won the World Cup in bowling four times in three decades. He could even win his fifth in fourth decade.

He won his first World Cup in Tehran, Iran on November 19, 1976 when he was only 19 years old; his second World Cup in Jakarta, Indonesia on November 1, 1980; his third World Cup in Le Mans, France on November 8, 1992; and his fourth World Cup in Belfast, Northern Ireland on November 23, 1996.

Paeng also won two equally prestigious international titles, namely: the International Tournament championship in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 8, 1984 and the World Tenpin Masters championship in London, England on March 7, 1999. On October 4, 2002, Paeng won a gold medal together with RJ Bautista in bowling's double event for men at the Asian Games held in Pusan, South Korea. All in all, Paeng has won over 100 tournament titles.

He is the only bowler who had received the prestigious International Olympic Committee (IOC) President's Trophy and was the first enshrined in the International Bowling Hall of Fame in St. Louis, Missouri in 1993. In November 1999, the Federation Internationale des Quilleurs (FIQ) named Paeng as the "International Bowling Athlete of the Millennium."

In a ceremony held in Dubai, United Arab Ermirates, an FIQ official cited Paeng with these words: "No international bowling athlete is more deserving of recognition than Paeng. In addition to his long list of well-known achievements as a world champion in three decades, Paeng truly has been and continues to be an extraordinary ambassador for our sport. I congratulate Paeng for receiving the highest award possible from the IOC. Being the first time an IOC recognition has been given to a bowling athlete, I can only say: On behalf of 100 million bowlers in the world, I salute Paeng Nepomuceno as the international bowling athlete of the millennium."

Paeng, who is still an active player, was born in Manila on January 30, 1957. Truly, Paeng is a world champion and we are proud to say that Paeng is a Filipino!

Bong Coo
Like Paeng Nepomuceno, Bong Coo dubbed as "Asia's Bowling Queen" was enshrined in the World Bowling Hall of Fame in 1993. She is the most awarded female Filipino athlete in history, having won 107 national and international titles including two world titles, one World Cup and five Asiad gold medals. She set three world records in consecutive FIQ World Championships in 1979 and 1983 and one world record in 1979 World Cup.

Lita dela Rosa
Lita dela Rosa won bowling's World Cup in Bogota, Colombia in 1978.

Arianne Cerdena
It was a Filipino triumph just the same. Despite being excluded from the regular gold medal tally, Arianne Cerdena's Olympic gold medal, which she won at Royal Bowling Center in Seoul, South Korea on September 18, 1988 only proves that the Philippines could easily beat other countries for that elusive Olympic gold. For the record, bowling was considered only as a demonstration sport in the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

Asiad Gold Medallists
Bong Coo has won five gold medals in the Asian Games from 1978 to 1986. Her teammates in five-person team events were Lita de la Rosa, Rosario de Leon, Lily Reformado, and Nellie Castillo. On October 4, 2002, Paeng Nepomuceno and RJ Bautista won the men's doubles bowling event at the 14th Asian Games in Busan, South Korea. It was the first Asiad gold for Nepomuceno. Both Paeng and RJ are left-handed.

Other Champion Bowlers
Among the other Filipino bowlers who have performed competitively in World Cup and other international tournaments include Irene Benitez, Jojo Canare, Liza Clutario, Angelo Constantino, Rosario de Leon, Liza del Rosario, Benito Dytoc, Jorge Fernandez, Cecilia Gaffud, Delfin Garcia, Irene Garcia, Chester King, Loreto Maranan, Richard Poblete, Lolita Reformado, Leonardo Rey, Linda Reyes, Rene Reyes, Engelbert Rivera, Virgilio Sablan, Rudy Salazar, Jose Santos, Catalina Solis, Christian Suarez, Manny Sugatan, Diana Tanlimco, Paulo Valdez, Bec Watanabe, and Cecilia Yap.

Billiards Players

Billiards, one of the four big Bs of Philippine sports, has been a consistent source of pride for Filipino sports aficionados. So popular has this game become that it has edged out basketball as the number one sports among Filipino youth, if one is to consider the number of pool halls in the country today.

This trend can be attributed to the exploits of Filipino cue artists who have invaded various international tournaments in the past two decades. The mere mention of the names Bata, Django, Amang, Lining and others could quickly elicit admiration from Filipino billiard aficionados.

It is a proven fact, and not a hyperbole if we claim that Filipino cue artists are among the world's best that have played the game.

Efren "Bata" Reyes
While Paeng is recognized as the finest Filipino athlete, Efren "Bata" Reyes is undoubtedly the most admired Filipino champion. A 1999 survey conducted by local poll firm Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed that "the Magician" is the sports personality most admired by Filipinos.

Bata's magic can be attributed to his humility and his sheer delight in associating with the common tao. His charm can also be credited to the fact that he has been a world champion for many times and is considered the finest billiard player of all time.

In 1995, Bata was ranked as the world's number 1 billiard player. Least known among his exploits is the fact that Bata is a four-time World 8-Ball champion. It is said that nobody could rival Bata's strategy in the 8-ball. In 1999, he clinched the World 9-Ball Championship in Wales, proving that he is an all-around billiard player.

Because of his exploits in Wales, his two gold medals in the 20th Southeast Asian Games in Brunei, and five other major international titles all in one year, Bata received the Athlete of the Year in 1999. For the second time, he was named Athlete of the Year for his exploits in 2001.

In its December 21, 2001 issue, the prestigious Time Magazine has included Reyes in its roster world's best in sports and described him as the Philippines' "sole bona fide international sports superstar".

Aside from the World 8-Ball and Word 9-Ball championships, other international tournaments he has bagged since 1985 include the Tokyo 9-Ball Tournament, the World League Title, International Challenge of Champions 9-Ball Classic, First Masters 9-Ball Championship, Pro-Tour Championship, Derby City One-Pocket, Camel Pro 8-Ball, Masters 9-Ball, among others. In 1995, the US magazine "Billiards Digest" named him as the Player of the Year.

Bata Reyes, who is still an active player, was born in Pampanga in 1953.

Francisco "Django" Bustamante
In 1998, Django Bustamante, who has the most smashing break in billiards, was considered the world's number one billiard player because of the string of victories he won in the United States, Europe, Japan and the Philippines. The US magazine "Billiards Digest" also named him as the Player of the Year for 1998.

Django has bagged the World Pool Masters Championship twice (1998 and 2001). Other international tournaments he has won over the years include the Camel Pro Billiards Series, ESPN Champion of Champions, Japan Open 9-ball event, Peninsula 9-Ball Open, Riviera Hotel Pro- 8-Ball Open Championship in Las Vegas, All-Japan Championship, and IBC 9-Ball.

Despite the death of her young daughter, Bustamante placed second behind Earl Strickland of the United States in the World 9-Ball Championship held in Cardiff, Wales in July 2002. In October of the same year, Django together with Antonio "Nikoy" Lining won a gold medal in the 9-ball doubles event of the Asian Games in Busan, South Korea.

Django was born in Tarlac in 1964 and is based in Germany.

Asian Gold Medallists
Billiards has produced two Asiad gold medals for the Philippines. In the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games, Romeo Villanueva and Gandy Valle brought home the country's only gold medal, after capturing the 9-ball doubles event title. On October 7, 2002, Francisco "Django" Bustamante and Antonio "Nikoy" duplicated the feat by winning the 9-ball doubles event at the 14th Asian Games held in Busan, South Korea.

Other Billiards Champions
Aside from Bata and Django, the Philippines teems with world billiards champions. Jose "Amang" Parica, for example, was the number one pool player in the US in 1997. Other champions include Edgar Acaba, Dodong Andam, Lee Van Corteza, Ramon del Rosario, Ramil Gallego, Warren Kiamco, Antonio "Nikoy" Lining, Rodolfo Luat, Dennis Orcullo, Alex Pagulayan, Santos Sambajon, and Romeo Villanueva.

Boxers

Boxing, one of the four big Bs of Philippine sports, has not only produced the most number of Filipino world champions but has also contributed five of the nine Olympic medals harvested by Filipino athletes since the country participated in the Olympics in 1924. The country's two Olympic silver medals came from boxing.

Boxing has also produced the country's lone bronze medal in the Goodwill Games and has hauled 12 gold medals from the Asian Games, the most among sports events that Filipinos participated in.

Two of the four Asians enshrined in the New York-based International Boxing Hall of Fame were Filipinos, namely: Pancho Villa in the old-timer category and Gabriel "Flash" Elorde in the modern category. Aside from Villa and Elorde, the Philippines has also produced world boxing greats like Ceferino Garcia, Ben Villaflor, Erbito Salavarria, Pedro Adigue, Rolando Navarette, Luisito Espinosa, Gerry Penalosa, and Manny Pacquiao.

Pancho Villa
Pancho Villa, who has been touted as the greatest flyweight of the century by the Associated Press, was also the first world champion from Asia. He was one of only four Asians enshrined into the New York-based International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1994. He was also inducted to the World Boxing Hall of Fame.

Born as Francisco Guilledo in Ilog, Negros Occidental on August 1, 1901, he began his boxing career in 1919 and adopted the name Pancho Villa after a famous Mexican revolutionary leader.

After his successful bids in the Philippines, he went to New York in pursuit of international bouts. Known for his whirlwind style, Villa, then 22, knocked out reigning world flyweight champion Jimmy Wilde of England in the seventh round at New York's Polo Grounds on June 18, 1923.

Among the opponents that he trounced were Benny Schwartz, Georgie Marks, Frankie Ash and Clever Sencio.

During his entire boxing career, Villa engaged in 99 bouts - 22 knockouts, 49 wins by decision, 5 losses, 4 draws and 19 no-decision bouts.

Gabriel "Flash" Elorde
In 1974, the World Boxing Council named Gabriel "Flash Elorde" as "the greatest world junior lightweight boxing champion in WBC history" for winning 79 bouts in his professional boxing career. In 1993, he became the first Asian inducted into the New York-based International Boxing Hall of Fame. He was also enshrined into the World Boxing Hall of Fame.

Elorde became a world champion in the 130-pound division on March 16, 1960 when he knocked out American Harold Gomes at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City. Since then, he has defended his title in 10 bouts for seven years, making him the longest reigning world junior lightweight champion ever. He finally lost to Japanese Yoshiaki Numata in a 15-round match in Tokyo on June 15, 1967.

Elorde was born in Bogo, Cebu in 1935 and died in 1985.

Roel Velasco
A gold medal at the first Muhammad Ali Cup Invitational Boxing Championship, a silver at the 1997 World Boxing Championships, a bronze at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, and a bronze at the 1998 Goodwill Games. These are just a few of the many honors Roel Velasco has brought home from grueling international boxing competitions.

With such feats, Roel, the older brother of Olympic silver medallist Mansueto "Onyok" Velasco, is perhaps the country's most successful amateur boxer. In September 1997, Roel, a light flyweight, won the country's first gold medal in the Muhammad Ali Cup Invitational Boxing Championship. That was his third international gold medal in that year, after winning gold medals at the Italian Boxing Championship in Italy and the Balado Memorial Cup in Cuba.

In July 1998, then 24-year-old Roel also won the country's first-ever bronze medal in the Goodwill Games held in New York, USA when he outclassed an American opponent. He later lost to a Russian boxer in the semifinals to settle for the bronze. Before this, Roel won the silver medal in the World Championships held in Budapest, Hungary in 1997.

Roel was the sole Filipino medallist (outside demonstration sports) in the 1992 Olympic Games held in Barcelona, Spain. He won the Olympic bronze medal when he was only 18 years old. Roel was born in Bago City, Negros Occidental province in 1974. He is a member of the Philippine Navy.

Ceferino Garcia
Ceferino Garcia was the heaviest Filipino ever who became a world-boxing champion. Known for his bolo punch, he captured the world middleweight title on October 2, 1939 when he knocked out Fred Apostoli in New York. He defended his crown against top rivals twice (Americans Glen Lee and Henry Armstrong) before losing his title in May 1940. Before he switched to the middleweight division, Garcia became a welterweight champion when he knocked out boxing legend and war hero Barney Ross in 1937 and Henry Armstrong in 1938.

He was born in 1912 and grew up in Tondo, Manila. In 1977, Ceferino Garcia was inducted into the Ring Magazine Hall of Fame and into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1981.

Luisito Espinosa
For five years, Luisito "Lindol" Espinosa has held two different world-boxing titles: the World Boxing Council (WBC) featherweight crown and the World Boxing Association (WBA) bantamweight belt.

In 1996, Luisito Espinosa was named "Athlete of the Year" for defending his World Boxing Council (WBC) featherweight crown twice. He edged out Olympic silver medallist Mansueto Velasco in the country's top athlete award. He was again feted the "Athlete of the Year" award in 1999 alongside golfer Frankie Minoza.

The five-foot-seven boxer was born in Tondo, Manila on June 26, 1967.

Manny Pacquiao
Manny Pacquiao, one of the finest Filipino power punchers, is an International Boxing Federation (IBF) world super bantamweight champion and a former World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight champion.

He was the first Filipino to clinch a world boxing title at the MGM Grand Garden Arena where he floored Lehlo Ledwaba of South Africa in the sixth round to bag the IBF super bantamweight title in June 2001. Before this, Pacquiao knocked out a Thai champion in the 8th round of their match in Bangkok on December 3, 1998 to win the World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight title.

Pacquiao was born in Bukidnon province (northern Mindanao) on December 12, 1976. He is married to the beautiful Jinky.

Ben Villaflor
Another world junior lightweight champion was Ben Villaflor, who was only 18 years old, when he dethroned Alfredo Marcano on April 25, 1972. He lost his title to a Japanese contender but regained it seven months later. Villaflor was able to defend his crown for five times until 1976.

Erbito Salavarria
On December 7, 1970, Erbito Salavarria wore the World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight belt when he beat a Thai world champion. On April 1, 1975, he grabbed the World Boxing Association (WBA) flyweight crown from a Japanese fighter.

Rolando Navarette
In August 1981, Rolando Navarrete knocked out a British boxer in the fifth round to clinch the World Boxing Council (WBC) super featherweight championship. Navarrete kept the title until May 1982 when he lost to a Mexican pug.

Pedro Adigue Jr.
Pedro Adigue Jr. had reportedly held five different titles in his professional boxing career. His career reached its peak on December 14, 1968 when he defeated American Adolph Pruitt to bag the World Boxing Council (WBC) junior welterweight crown.

Gerry Penalosa
Gerry Penalosa won the World Boxing Council (WBC) super flyweight crown on February 20, 1997 and was able to defend it three times until August 1998. In June 1999, he knocked out a Mexican fighter to clinch the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) North American junior bantamweight title in Mississippi. Penalosa, the brother of former world champion Dodie Boy Penalosa, was born in Cebu.

Small Montana
His real name was Benjamin Gan. Based in the US, Small Montana became the world flyweight champion in 1935. He kept the title until 1937.

Little Dado
Another Filipino who fought in the US, Little Dado kept the National Boxing Association (NBA) flyweight crown from 1938 to 1940. NBA is the predecessor of the World Boxing Association (WBA).

Salvador "Dado" Marino
On August 1, 1950, Salvador "Dado" Marino defeated Terry Allen to bag the world flyweight boxing championship. He kept the title until May 1952.

Roberto Cruz
Roberto Cruz knocked out Raymundo Torres in the first round to clinch the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) junior welterweight crown in Los Angeles, California on March 20, 1964. He was born in Baguio City on November 2, 1941.

Rene Barrientos
Rene Barrientos became a world-boxing champion when he defeated American fighter Ruben Navarro in 1969. In particular, Barrientos was declared World Boxing Council (WBC) super featherweight champion of the world in Tokyo, Japan on February 15, 1969.

Bernabe Villacampo
On October 20, 1969, Bernabe Villacampo defeated a Japanese opponent to bag the World Boxing Association (WBA) flyweight crown. He kept the title until April 1970.

Frank Cedeno
On September 27, 1983, Frank Cedeno defeated Charlie Magri at Wembley Arena in London, England to win the World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight championship. He kept the title until January 1984.

Dodi "Boy" Penalosa
On February 22, 1987, Dodi Penalosa, the older brother of Gerry Penalosa, beat a South Korean champion to become the International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight champion. He lost the title to another South Korean pug in September of the same year.

Rolando Bohol
Rolando Bohol beat a South Korean champion to become the International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight champion at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on January 16, 1988. He lost his crown to a British opponent in London in October of the same year.

Tacy Macalos
On November 5, 1988, Tacy Macalos defeated a South Korean boxer to clinch the International Boxing Federation (IBF) light flyweight title in a bout held in Manila. Macalos he kept the cronw until May 1989 when he lost to a Thai contender in Bangkok.

Eric Chavez
In September 1989, Eric Chavez was crowned the International Boxing Federation (IBF) mini flyweight champion of the world.

Rolando Pascua
On December 19, 1990, Rolando Pascua knocked out Chiquita Gonzalez in the sixth round to bag the World Boxing Council (WBC) light flyweight title. He lost the crown in his first defense match in March 1991.

Manny Melchor
In September 1992, Manny Melchor defeated a Thai fighter to win the International Boxing Federation (IBF) straw weight championship. Melchor, a boxer from Oriental Mindoro province, relinquished the title to another Thai fighter two months later.

Eric Jamili
In December 1997, Eric Jamili defeated a British boxer to bag the World Boxing Organization (WBO) straw weight title. He lost the title in May 1998.

Samuel Duran
Samuel Duran became an Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) featherweight champion in 1998. He also once held the World Boxing council (WBC) international bantamweight title.

Melvin Magramo
On February 14, 1998, Melvin Magramo defeated a Thai champion to retain his World Boxing Organization (WBO) flyweight crown in front of 10,000 Filipino fans in Las Pinas City.

Joma Gamboa
On December 4, 1999, Joma Gamboa knocked out a Japanese fighter in Nagoya, Japan to become the World Boxing Association (WBA) minimum weight (105 pounds) champion. He defeated a Venezuelan boxer in August 2000 but lost the title to another Japanese opponent in December of that year.

Malcolm Tuñacao
Malcolm Tuñacao was the only reigning Filipino world boxing champion in the year 2000. At 21 years old, Tuñacao grabbed the World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight crown from a Thai boxer in Bangkok on May 21, 2000 and was able to defend it for the rest of the year. Tuñacao was born in Mandaue City in 1978.

Andy Tabanas
In February 2001, Andy Tabanas edged out a Thai fighter to become the leading World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior flyweight. He kept the interim title for two months.

Tiger Ari
Tiger Ari won the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) super featherweight title in early 2002.

Other Boxing Champions
Among other Filipino champions who have won a world tile or figured in international boxing bouts include Manfredo Alipala, Rey Asis, Dencio Cabanella, Little Cezar, Speedy Dado (Diosdado Posadas), Johnny Jamito, Ronnie Jones, Rocky Kalingo, Baby Lorona, Pretty Boy Lucas, Orlando Medina, Benigno Clever Sison, Roberto Somodio, and Young Terror.

Manseuto "Onyok"Velasco
Mansueto "Onyok" Velasco nearly clinched the country's first Olympic gold medal in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics when he slugged it out with Bulgarian Daniel Bojilov in the light-flyweight finals. The controversial bout led to Velasco bringing home the silver medal. Before this, Velasco was one of the three Filipino boxers who clinched gold medals in the 1994 Asian Games held in Hiroshima, Japan.

Anthony Villanueva
The country's first Olympic silver medal came in 1964 when then 19-year-old Anthony Villanueva, son of 1932 bronze medallist Cely Villanueva, fought Russian Stanislave Stephaskin in boxing's featherweight finals at the Tokyo Olympics. Villanueva lost the gold in a split decision to the Russian.

Leopoldo Serantes
Leopoldo Serantes, a light flyweight, completes the cast of Filipino boxers who have brought home five Olympic medals, and joins the father-and-son tandem of the Villanuevas and the Velasco brothers. Serantes clinched a bronze medal in the Olympic Games held in Seoul, South Korea in 1988.

Leopoldo Contancio
Leopoldo Contancio won a gold medal in the Asian Challenge Cup in Manila in 1983.

Asiad Gold Medallists
Filipino athletes have won 12 of their total haul of 56 Asiad gold medals in boxing. Five of these 12 boxing gold medals came from the 1954 Asian Games, which Manila hosted while three came from the 1994 Asian Games held in Hiroshima, Japan.

Other Amateur Champions
Aside from the Velasco brothers, the father and son tandem of the Villanuevas and Leopoldo Serantes, other amateur boxers who have shown impressive performance in international competitions include Celedonio Espinosa, Ricardo Fortaleza, Reynaldo Galido, Roberto Janaiz, Alejandro Ortuoste, Ernesto Porto, Elias Recaido, Ernesto Sajo, and Vicente Tunacao.

Basketball Players

Basketball is arguably the most loved sports in the Philippines. Despite the lack in height, Filipinos have dominated basketball in Southeast Asia and formed world competitive teams in the 1950s.

The Philippines performed well in its participation in the Olympic basketball event from the 1930s to the 1950s and placed third in the 1954 World Basketball Championship (WBC) held in Brazil.

Basketball has produced four Asiad gold medals for the Philippines. The country also won the Asian Basketball Conference (ABC) championships in 1960, 1963, 1967, 1973 and 1986 and the William Jones Cup International Basketball Tournament in 1986 and 1998.

The Philippine basketball team, composed of Philippine Basketball League (PBL) players, has also won the ABC Champions Cup four times: 1984, 1988, 1995 and 1996.

The Philippines Basketball Association (PBA), widely considered the first and oldest professional basketball league in the Asian region, is also the country's number one spectator event.

Olympic Participation
The Philippine basketball team that placed fifth in the basketball event of the 1936 Olympic Games during the Nazi rule in Berlin, Germany, should have won at least a bronze medal, if not for a controversial ruling. Despite winning four of its five games, the country did not bring home any medal. It lost only to the United States, which eventually clinched the gold medal, but defeated Mexico, Estonia, Italy and Uruguay. The members of that fabled 1936 Philippine basketball team were Ambrosio Padilla (team captain), who later became a senator; Charles Borck, who at 6'1" was the tallest in the team; Jacinto Ciria Cruz, Primitivo Martinez, Jesus Marzan, Franco Marquicias, Fortunato Yambao, Amador Obondo, Bibjano Quano and Johnny Worrel.

The Philippine basketball team also performed superbly well in its other Olympic participations, including placing 12th at the 1948 London Olympics, 7th at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, and 11th at the 1960 Rome Olympics.

World Basketball Championship
The Philippine basketball team, captained by Carlos Loyzaga, placed third in the World Basketball Championship (WBC) held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1954. The Philippines beat the favored Uruguay team, 67-63, to clinch the third place on November 5, 1954, which was to become the greatest mark in the history of Philippine basketball. As expected, the U.S. team won the title against the host Brazil.

Loyzaga was chosen as a member of the Mythical Five - the world's best basketball players in 1954. His teammates included Lauro Mumar, Florentino Bautista and Mariano Tolentino.

In 1959, the Philippines also placed 9th at the WBC held in Chile.

Asian Basketball
The Philippine basketball team won the title in the first Asian Basketball Conference (ABC) championship held in Manila in 1960. It duplicated the feat in 1963, 1967, 1973, 1986 and 1996. Basketball has also produced four consecutive Asiad gold medals for the Philippines. The country won the basketball gold in the 1951 New Delhi Asiad, 1954 Manila Asiad, 1958 Tokyo Asiad, and 1962 Jakarta Asiad. The Philippine basketball team, composed of professional celebrities, won a silver medal in the 1990 Asiad, and a bronze medal in 1998 Asiad. The country was the consistent winner in the basketball event at the Southeast Asian Games.

Carlos "The Big Difference" Loyzaga
There was something in common in the country's third place finish in the 1954 World Basketball championship, its four consecutive gold medals in the Asian Games from 1951 to 1962, and its good performance in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics and 1960 Rome Olympics. The common thing was Carlos Loyzaga, who was ironically dubbed as the "Big Difference" of Philippine basketball.

A two-time Olympian, Loyzaga, the team captain, was responsible for steering the fabled Philippine team to third place finish in the World Basketball Championship in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on November 5, 1954. He was named to the Mythical Selection for his sterling performance because he was the third best individual scorer in the world event. The Philippines beat Uruguay, 67-63 to win the third place. The title was won by the United States against Brazil.

Loyzaga was the first basketball player to be inducted into the National Basketball Hall of Fame.

Hall of Famers
As of 2002, there are 22 basketball players enshrined into the Hall of Fame. Aside from Loyzaga, other basketball players who have been named to the National Basketball Hall of Fame since 1999 include Kurt Bachmann, Carlos Badion, Narciso Bernardo, Charlie Borck, Ramoncito Campos, Loreto Carbonell, Jacinto Ciria-Cruz, Geronimo Cruz, Fely and Gabby Fajardo, Tony Genato, Rafael Hechanova, Eddie Lim, Alfonso (Boy) Marquez, Antonio and Primitivo Martinez, Lauro Mumar, Ed Ocampo, Ambrosio Padilla, Mariano Tolentino, and Francisco Vestil.

All-Time Mythical Five
In January 1998, the Philippine Basketball Association has recognized the All-Time Mythical Five of Philippine Basketball: Carlos Loyzaga, Narciso Bernardo, Robert Jaworski, Hector Calma and Alvin Patrimonio representing five decades of Philippine basketball. Loyzaga was cited for his exploits in the 1950s, Bernardo in the 1960s, Jaworski in the 1970s, Calma in the 1980s and Patrimonio in the 1990s.

25 Best PBA Players
The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) has recognized the "25 All-Time Greatest Players" in the league: Johnny Abarrientos, William "Bogs" Adornado, Ato Agustin, Francis Arnaiz, Lim Eng Beng, Ricardo Brown, Allan Caidic, Hector Calma, Philip Cezar, Atoy Co, Jerry Codiñera, Kenneth Duremdes, Bernard Fabiosa, Ramon Fernandez, Danny Florencio, Alberto Guidaben, Freddie Hubalde, Robert Jaworski, Jojo Lastimosa, Samboy Lim, Ronnie Magsanoc, Vergel Meneses, Manny Paner, Benjie Paras, and Alvin Patrimonio.

Present Batch of Celebrities
A new batch of tall basketball players, many of them Filipino-Americans, has been recently hogging the PBA limelight. Standing at least six feet and six inches tall, these players include Marlou Aquino, Bonel Balingit, Davonn Harp, Dennis Espino, Edward Joseph Feihl, Danny Ildefonso, Jun Limpot, Eric Menk, Mick Pennisi, Andy and Danny Seigle, Paul "Asi" Taulava, and James Walkvist. Feihl, for one, stands seven feet tall.

Four-Time MVPs
Two PBA players hold the record of having won the MVP awards four times in their career. These players are Ramon Fernandez of Crispa Redmanizers and Alvin Patrimonio of TJ Hotdogs. Fernandez retired from the PBA in the early 1990s while Patrimonio remains an active player for the Hotdogs.

Benjie Paras
Benjie Paras of Formula Shell was the first and only PBA player who won the MVP and the Rookie of the Year awards in the same year. Paras, with the moniker "Tower of Power", accomplished his double feats in 1989. When tall Filipino-American players posed a threat to this record, Paras again rose to the occasion and bagged the coveted MVP title in 1999.

Bobby Parks
Bobby Parks won the "Best Import" award in the PBA for seven times. Parks has played for Shell and is now one of the team's consultants.

Grand Slam Coaches
Four PBA coaches were able to win a grand slam (three championship titles in a year) each for their respective teams. They are Baby Dalupan and Tommy Manotoc of Crispa Redmanizers, Norman Black of San Miguel Beer, and Tim Cone of Alaska Milk.

Allan Caidic
Allan Caidic, probably the best three-point shooter in the land during his heyday, has represented the Philippines as a player in four Asian Games (1986, 1990, 1994 and 1998) and as an assistant coach in the 2002 Asian Games. He was a part of the basketball team that won the Jones Cup in 1985 and 1998 and played a large part in clinching the Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC) championship in 1986.

Hector Calma
Hector Calma was a part of the Philippine basketball team that won the Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC) juniors championship in 1978 and 1982 and played a pivotal role in clinching the ABC men's title in 1986. Calma was also a part of the Philippines in Asian Games in 1990 and 1994.