After Asian Games gold, EJ Obiena reveals rediscovered love for pole vault: 'I'm enjoying it again'

MANILA, Philippines — Not even the drizzle could shake and stop Ernest John "EJ" Obiena from defending his men's pole vault title at the 20th Asian Games in Japan. Obiena seized the gold medal with a new meet record of 5.91m clearance at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium Tuesday evening, eclipsing the 5.90m mark he posted in the previuous edition in Hangzhou, China back in 2023. This is the third time that Obiena soared past the 5.90m height this season. Obiena thus gave the Philippines its third gold medal in the ongoing meet after gymnast Carlos Yulo's golds in floor exercise and vault. Chinese Yao Jie finished second to Obiena with a 5.70m clearance, defeating his compatriot Li Chengyang via countback.

The Philippines" EJ Obiena remained the gold standard in the continent as he ruled the men"s pole vault competition at the 2026 Asian Games on Tuesday at the rain-soaked Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium in Japan.

Sibol"s star-studded Mobile Legends: Bang Bang squad stormed through the group stage of the 2026 Asian Games, sweeping Jordan and Kazakhstan on Tuesday at the Aichi Sky Expo in Japan.

MANILA, Philippines -- Filipino runner Victoria Bossong seized a bronze medal in the 20th Asian Games women's 800m final at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium in Japan Tuesday evening. Under wet conditions due to rains, Bossong clocked 2:05.34 to claim the place in the podium behind gold winner Wu Hongjiao of China (2:04.49) and Nelly Korir of Bahrain (2:05.16). Bossong proved slower than her heats time of 2 minutes and 2.32 seconds which was the fastest on Monday. The 23-year-old Bossong gave the Philippines its second medal in athletics after John Cabang Tolentino's bronze in men's 110m hurdles.

Victoria Bossong clocked 2:05.34 to finish third and bag the bronze medal in the women"s 800m run.

Emilio Aguinaldo College notched its first win in NCAA Season 102 after defeating San Sebastian College-Recoletos, 94-87, on Tuesday at the Filoil Centre in San Juan.

After beating Korea on Monday, the Philippine women’s softball team made it two in a row after posting a 7-0 victory over Thailand on Tuesday in the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The Cebuana Lhuillier-backed Blu Girls raised their win-loss record to 2-2 after starting the tournament with back-to-back losses to powerhouse teams Japan and Chinese-Taipei.  Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines (Asa-Phil) president Jean Henri Lhuillier praised the team for building on the momentum in its bid to make the podium. “The way our Blu Girls have responded over these last two games speaks volumes about their character,” said Lhuillier,  who is also president and CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier. “They have remained focused, continued to trust one another, and are showing the kind of fight we know they are capable of. We are proud of this team and will continue supporting them as they represent the Philippines with determination and heart.” Lhuillier also expressed confidence in the team and reiterated Cebuana Lhuillier's support for their pursuit of a historic Asian Games medal. On Tuesday, the Philippines scored two runs in the second inning, three in the third, and one each in the fourth and fifth for the shutout victory. The Blu Girls collected eight hits while playing error-free softball. Francesca Altomonte led the offense with two hits and two RBIs in three at-bats, while team captain Ma. Charlotte Sales drove in two runs and scored twice.  Ma. Angelu Gabriel and Reyae Mae Villamin each added an RBI, while Nicole Adra Hammoude, Sydney Lynn Vitangcol and Mylia Isabel Perez also crossed home plate. The Blu Girls were equally impressive on the mound, holding Thailand scoreless and limiting them to just two hits.  Mary Joy Alpitche earned the win after allowing only one hit across two innings, while Sydney Lynn Vitangcol pitched a hitless inning with one strikeout. Mary Joy Laurente completed another two scoreless innings, giving up just one hit and striking out one as the Philippine pitching staff combined to preserve the shutout. The Philippines will next face Singapore on Sept. 30 at 1:15 p.m.

NCAA Season 102 Men’s Basketball Tournament EAC def. San Sebastian, 94-87 Wilmar Oftana Player of the Game #NCAASeason102

MANILA, Philippines -- Emilio Aguinaldo College took its first win and keep San Sebastian College - Recoletos winless with a 94-87 escape in the NCAA Season 102 men's basketball tournament at the San Juan Arena Tuesday. Harvae Raymundo split his charities in the last 10 seconds for the Generals before Jude Bagay kept the Golden Stags from pulling off the improbable with a steal. Wilmar Oftana racked up 18 points and nine rebounds for EAC, which rose to 1-3 in Group B just above the 0-4 and cellar-dwelling San Sebastian.

TOKYO — Japanese volleyball player Rui Takahashi came out as gay on Tuesday, saying he wanted to help others struggling with their sexuality in a country where openly LGBTQ athletes are extremely rare. The 26-year-old Takahashi, who plays in the top division of Japan's professional volleyball league, posted a statement on social media accompanied by a black-and-white photo of himself. In it, he said he had been "afraid to face a certain side of myself" since he was young. "I struggled with it and ended up denying who I was," he wrote. "That is the fact that I am gay and that I am one of the sexual minorities." Takahashi said his brother Ran, who is a hugely popular star with Japan's national volleyball team, helped him come to terms with his sexuality. "Talking with Ran became the trigger that finally allowed me to accept myself for the first time," he wrote. "By putting my feelings into words, I was able to sort out my thoughts, and little by little I started to feel that it was OK to be just the way I am." Takahashi becomes one of a very small group of openly LGBTQ professional athletes in Japan. Women's football player Shiho Shimoyamada was the first to come out as gay in 2019. Kumi Yokoyama, who played for Japan at the Women's World Cup, later came out as a transgender man. In June 2021, the Japanese Olympic Committee appointed transgender former fencer Fumino Suhiyama to its board of directors, just weeks before the Tokyo Olympics. Takahashi said he hoped him coming out would help others in a similar situation. "I would be happy if my decision to face myself and speak in my own words could, even in a small way, become a catalyst for them," he wrote. AFP

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