LIVE UPDATES: Team Philippines at 2026 Asian Games: September 29 -- EJ Obiena, Alex Eala and Shaira Rivera, sepak takraw finals

THE Philippine women’s sepak takraw doubles team advanced to the gold medal match of the 2026 Asian Games after defeating Laos, 15-12, 15-10, in the semifinals. Composed of Jean Marie Sucalit, Abegail Sinogbuhan, and Nelly Jay Salon, the squad will face Vietnam in the finals on Sept. 29 as they aim to secure the country’s first-ever Asian Games gold medal in the sport. Since sepak takraw was introduced to the Asian Games in 1990, the Philippines has yet to win gold in the discipline. The nation earned its first Asian Games medals in the sport at the 2022 Hangzhou Asiad (held in 2023), taking bronze in both the men’s regu and men’s quadrant events. Meanwhile, the embattled Alas Pilipinas men’s national volleyball team put up a spirited fight against World No. 34 China, but fell in four sets, 25-20, 25-21, 25-20, 25-21, in the preliminary round of the 2026 Asian Games at the Park Arena Komaki. The loss drops World No. 115 Philippines to a 0-2 record in Pool D, eliminating them from quarterfinal contention as only the top two teams from each pool advance. While Alas held an edge in attacks — outscoring China 42 to 31 — unforced errors proved costly for the Filipinos. The national team gave away 28 total points, including 10 service errors, compared to China’s disciplined nine total errors and just three service faults. Lacking height and financial backing compared to their top-tier opponents, Alas was led by team captain Bryan Bagunas, who tallied 15 points on 12 attacks and three aces. Leo Ordiales added 11 markers, while middle blocker Peng Taguibolos chipped in nine. Playmaker Owa Retamar dished out 12 excellent sets, while Joshua Magalaman and Marck Espejo contributed six and five points, respectively. China mounted a balanced offense to secure the win, led by Zihua Wen’s team-high 10 points. Yongzhen Li and Bin Wang added eight points apiece, supported by Yuantai Yu (6), Lei Li (4), and Chuan Jiang (2). Alas Pilipinas, which placed 13th in the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, will seek its first victory of the tournament when it closes out pool play against World No. 55 Taiwan on Tuesday.

TWO-TIME Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo has publicly announced his engagement to his longtime girlfriend, model-influencer Chloe San Jose, revealing that the two have been quietly engaged for nine months. Fresh off his double gold victory at the Asian Games, Yulo shared the happy news on social media shortly after returning home to the Philippines, confirming that San Jose said “yes” earlier this year. “9 months ago... She said ‘Yes,’” Yulo wrote in his post. “And all I can say, and all I can feel, is that I am truly blessed. Blessed to love you. Blessed to be loved by you. Blessed to have you as my fiancé and, soon, as my forever.” He continued with a heartfelt promise: “My love, I promise to take care of you, love you, and protect you at all times. In hardship and in ease, in joy and in trials, I will choose you every day. And by the grace of God, I will be with you until eternal life.” Expressing gratitude for their journey together, Yulo added, “Above all, we just want to thank You, God, for blessing us with this wonderful moment and for allowing us to experience a love that is guided by You.” The couple’s love story began in 2020 when San Jose reached out online as a fan. After two months of daily conversations, they officially began dating in June 2020 via FaceTime, finally meeting in person at the 31st Southeast Asian Games in May 2022. Since then, San Jose has been a constant presence by Yulo’s side throughout his defining career milestones — including his historic double-gold wins at both the 2024 Paris Olympics and the 2026 Asian Games, where he dominated the floor exercise and vault finals. Reflecting on their journey, San Jose shared, “This has been my very, very emotional reaction ever since the Olympics, because we went through a lot before this. This was God, whatever they say in the comments, this was God.” Their relationship has weathered public scrutiny and family friction, notably following the 2024 Paris Olympics when Yulo’s mother, Angelica, held a press conference voicing her disapproval of San Jose and addressing financial matters — prompting Yulo to publicly defend his partner online. Through every trial and triumph, the couple has remained united, proving their bond is stronger than ever as they prepare to walk down the aisle.

MEDINAH, Illonois — The United States made a stunning rally to capture an 11th consecutive Presidents Cup on Sunday (Monday in Manila), defeating the Internationals 17-13 in a victory dedicated to US President Donald Trump. Jacob Bridgeman secured the clinching point at Medinah Country Club by sinking a four-foot par putt at the 18th hole to defeat Australian Min Woo Lee 1-up. “I’m just so damn proud of this team,” US captain Brandt Snedeker said. “All these guys, they fought for each other. They fought for this country. They fought for this team.” Snedeker said Trump — who visited the Chicago-area course for Sunday’s final day — should take credit for the win. “He told me (he) was going to bring some energy today for you guys. You guys need it,” Snedeker said. “And I told him if we did this, he gets all the credit. So thank you, President Trump.” The Americans improved to 14-1-1 in the biennial rivalry after trailing 10.5-7.5 entering 12 concluding singles matches, the Internationals poised to end a 28-year win drought but failing. “It was on a knife edge all day,” Internationals captain Geoff Ogilvy of Australia said. “It’s a very difficult thing to beat the US in singles in the US. They all played great.” The Americans had nine wins and a draw on the final day. “I don’t think I’d do anything differently,” Ogilvy said. “It sort of drifted the wrong way all day.” The non-European side’s lone win was in 1998 at Australia with a shared trophy at South Africa in 2003. The Americans, boasting eight of the world’s 11 top-ranked golfers, won on the same suburban Chicago layout where Europe took the 2012 Ryder Cup with the famed “Miracle at Medinah” fightback. “These guys never lost faith,” Snedeker said. “I told the guys last night that funny stuff happens here. Medinah’s got a history of funny things happening, and sure enough, they went out there and played their asses off. I’m so damn proud of those guys.” Drama built with every match and ended with Bridgeman, who won his second PGA Tour title last week, falling behind for the first time with a bogey at 15 only to win 16 and 18 with pars. “It was the coolest moment,” he said. “I felt like I held in my emotions all day. To let it out on the last hole is pretty sweet.” Cameron Young secured the first US point, beating Japan’s Ryo Hisatsune 3&2. He won holes 11-13 for his first lead and made a 32-foot birdie putt at 16 to win. Justin Thomas, 0-3 in Cup singles, won the first four holes and never trailed in beating Canada’s Corey Conners 5&3, sinking a 15-foot birdie putt at 15 to win. South Korea’s Tom Kim answered with a 3&2 victory over reigning US Open champion Wyndham Clark. “I was second off. I really felt it was a responsibility to put a point up,” said Kim, who will fly to Japan for the Asian Games. Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler, 3-1 this week, birdied five of the first 10 holes and never trailed in beating Colombian Nico Echavarria 2&1. South Korean Im Sung-jae rattled in birdies on four of the last six holes to beat Sam Burns 3&1, while Chris Gotterup beat South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout 1-up. The Americans seized a 13.5-12.5 lead when Patrick Cantlay edged Australian Adam Scott 2&1 and moments later Collin Morikawa beat Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama 1-up. Cantlay was never behind but needed a 57-foot birdie putt at 16 and a seven-foot par putt at 17 to win. Morikawa tied his match at 15 on a 30-foot birdie putt and won when Matsuyama missed a 15-foot par putt at 18. “I’m happy about that closing point,” Morikawa said. “That was huge.” Jackson Koivun, a 21-year-old rookie, beat South Korean 2-up. Canada’s Nick Taylor tied Russell Henley and Xander Schauffele edged New Zealand’s Ryan Fox 2&1 after the Cup was decided

LOS ANGELES — Bryce Harper and Edmundo Sosa blasted home runs as the Philadelphia Phillies punched their ticket to the playoffs with a 7-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday (Monday in Manila) as the curtain came down on Major League Baseball’s regular season. The Phillies had gone into Sunday’s home game against Tampa Bay on the back of a four-game losing streak, raising the prospect of the Arizona Diamondbacks pipping them to the final spot available in the National League wild card round. But the Phillies made sure of their place in the playoffs with a clinical performance that sends them into a best-of-three series against the Atlanta Braves starting on Tuesday. Phillies starting pitcher Zach Wheeler set up the victory, throwing six innings and giving up just one run with five hits and five strikeouts. The Phillies offense also kept the scoreboard rolling, with Bryson Stott driving in a run for Kyle Schwarber with a double in the bottom of the first inning. J.T Realmuto’s double in the bottom of the second made it 2-0 before Schwarber drove in two more runs with a sharp line drive that sent Realmuto and Trea Turner over home plate for a 4-0 lead. Jonny DeLuca pulled one back with a solo home run for the Rays in the fifth inning but Harper then made it 5-1 with a 366-foot solo homer. Brandon Marsh’s sacrifice fly allowed Stott to score for a 6-1 lead before Sosa’s home run made sure of victory. The only other major issue to be settled on Sunday was the winner of the American League West division, with the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers neck-and-neck with 80-81 records at the start of the day. With the Astros holding the better head-to-head record between the two teams, the Rangers needed to beat the Minnesota Twins and hope the Astros lost on the road to the Athletics in Sacramento. But the Rangers’ hopes evaporated in a 6-4 defeat to the Twins which made the Astros’ comfortable 9-0 win over the Athletics moot. The wild card rounds get under way on Tuesday, with the Phillies taking on the Braves in the National League and the fifth-seeded Chicago Cubs facing the fourth-seeded San Diego Padres in California. In the American League, the Astros will face the sixth-seeded Chicago White Sox while the fourth-seeded New York Yankees host the Boston Red Sox. The Yankees’ final fixture of the 162-game season against the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday was cancelled as a powerful storm rolled into New York.

WASHINGTON, United States — Yuna Nishimura captured her first LPGA title on Sunday (Monday in Manila) at the NW Arkansas Championship, doing so in wire-to-wire fashion after firing a final-round five-under-par 66 at Pinnacle Country Club. The 26-year-old Japanese standout, a six-time winner on her homeland tour, managed her first top-10 finish of the year outside pairs events after missing the cut in five of her past six starts. Nishimura fired back-to-back 63s to seize a five-stroke lead before closing the 54-hole event with five birdies, two bogeys and an eagle to finish on 21-under 192 for a five-stroke triumph at Rogers, Arkansas. “A five-shot lead is a pretty tough situation but I believed in myself and just kept going until the end,” Nishimura said. “I missed a lot of cuts this year, so for me to win this tournament is a surprise, but it’s a dream come true.” Nishimura became the third LPGA first-time winner of the season and the 24th Japanese player with an LPGA victory. Sharing second on 197 were Japan’s Aki Iwai, South Korean Chun In-gee and Thailand’s Chanettee Wannasaen. Iwai fired five consecutive birdies in her closing 62. “I was thinking it’s going to be low every player,” Iwai said. “That’s why I have to go... more aggressive.” AFP RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — The Baltimore Ravens beat the Dallas Cowboys 34-31 in the NFL’s first-ever game in Rio de Janeiro as the Washington Commanders and backup quarterback Marcus Mariota stunned Seattle 33-31 Sunday (Monday in Manila). The first NFL game at Brazil’s iconic Maracana, where the build-up had been dominated by concerns over the soccer stadium’s patchy surface, proved to be a breathless thriller decided by a final kick. With Derrick Henry at his unstoppable best, rushing for two early touchdowns, the Baltimore Ravens opened a 24-13 lead in the third quarter. The Cowboys scored 15 without reply to edge ahead, before Ravens rookie Matt Hibner grabbed a touchdown back. Deep in the red zone, Dallas could not force a touchdown, but a field goal with seven seconds remaining appeared to force overtime. Instead, Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson hurled the ball 26 yards to Zay Flowers, and immediately called a timeout with one second left on the clock. Tyler Loop converted a 56-yard field goal to prompt wild celebrations. “Major, major credit to those guys straining all the way till the end,” said Ravens coach Jesse Minter. “We felt like we had time to maybe get the ball in range. Unbelievable play by Lamar and Zay, and then obviously Tyler Loop.” Earlier Sunday, reeling from two losses and an injury to franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels, the Washington Commanders turned to 32-year-old journeyman Mariota. He completed three passing touchdowns to hand the reigning Super Bowl champion Seahawks their first loss of the season, and snap Seattle’s 12-game winning streak. Seattle’s loss came despite their own star quarterback Sam Darnold returning from injury to pass for 379 yards and four touchdowns, with two interceptions.

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — The Baltimore Ravens beat the Dallas Cowboys 34-31 in the NFL's first-ever game in Rio de Janeiro as the Washington Commanders and backup quarterback Marcus Mariota stunned Seattle 33-31 Sunday (Monday in Manila). The first NFL game at Brazil's iconic Maracana, where the build-up had been dominated by concerns over the soccer stadium's patchy surface, proved to be a breathless thriller decided by a final kick. With Derrick Henry at his unstoppable best, rushing for two early touchdowns, the Baltimore Ravens opened a 24-13 lead in the third quarter. The Cowboys scored 15 without reply to edge ahead, before Ravens rookie Matt Hibner grabbed a touchdown back. Deep in the red zone, Dallas could not force a touchdown, but a field goal with seven seconds remaining appeared to force overtime. Instead, Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson hurled the ball 26 yards to Zay Flowers, and immediately called a timeout with one second left on the clock. Tyler Loop converted a 56-yard field goal to prompt wild celebrations. "Major, major credit to those guys straining all the way till the end," said Ravens coach Jesse Minter. "We felt like we had time to maybe get the ball in range. Unbelievable play by Lamar and Zay, and then obviously Tyler Loop." Earlier Sunday, reeling from two losses and an injury to franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels, the Washington Commanders turned to 32-year-old journeyman Mariota. He completed three passing touchdowns to hand the reigning Super Bowl champion Seahawks their first loss of the season, and snap Seattle's 12-game winning streak. Seattle's loss came despite their own star quarterback Sam Darnold returning from injury to pass for 379 yards and four touchdowns, with two interceptions. Mariota sent early touchdown passes Rachaad White and Treylon Burks, before his 30-yard hurl to Terry McLaurin opened a 14-point advantage. Seattle fought back to 24-24. But after a Commanders field goal, Darnold's pass was picked by Kain Medrano, a special teams player and backup linebacker, who raced 50 yards to make it 33-24. Seahawks pulled back a touchdown but Washington held on. "That was unbelievable... the more that adversity hits, the more that circumstances pin us against the wall, these guys find a way," said Mariota. Tight finishes On a Sunday packed with tight finishes, Jahmyr Gibbs and the Detroit Lions saw off a spirited Jets fightback, winning 31-24. New York's Garrett Wilson took a superb 4th down catch from Geno Smith that was ruled a touchdown on video review, tying the game 24-24. But the joy was short-lived. Gibbs rushed for his third touchdown, Wilson departed injured, and Jets quarterback Smith was sacked on 4th down to snuff out any hope. Cleveland quarterback DeShaun Watson, making his home season debut after being booed by his own fans in the offseason, led the Browns to a last-gasp 21-18 win over Carolina. In the final year of a $230 million five-year contract ravaged by injuries and off-field controversy, Watson threw for two touchdowns, including a go-ahead 14-yard sling to Harold Fannin Jr. under two minutes left. Pittsburgh bagged a late win against Cincinnati. Veteran Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers shook off recent offensive woes with three touchdowns. The Bengals took a fourth-quarter lead, but two field goals and a late strip-sack of Joe Burrow sealed the Steelers win 30-27. The Indianapolis Colts needed a 53-yard field goal with 21 seconds remaining to beat the Houston Texans 19-17. Bills, Chiefs win The Buffalo Bills defeated the winless Los Angeles Chargers 24-16, despite committing five turnovers. The San Francisco 49ers never trailed the Arizona Cardinals in a 36-30 win featuring four touchdown passes from Brock Purdy and two endzone receptions for George Kittle. Kansas City were comfortable 24-10 winners over Miami, while New England — last year's Super Bowl loser — was thrashed 35-6 by Jacksonville. Quarterback Kyler Murray returned from concussion in a 23-16 Minnesota win at Tampa Bay, while Las Vegas beat New Orleans 35-27. The Tennessee Titans remain 0-3, as quarterback Cam Ward threw a disastrous interception on a potentially winning drive against the New York Giants, who won 12-7.

Despite the rain, a shuffled schedule, and even the possibility of a WTA fine, Alex Eala remains focused on chasing Asian Games gold.

Alexandra Eala opened her campaign in the 2026 Asian Games on a high note, while the Philippine sepak takraw team secured medals for the country on Monday in Japan.

MANILA, Philippines — Olympic bronze medalist Eumir Marcial has a heavyweight in his corner. SportsPlus, the country’s premier sportsbook, has partnered with the Filipino boxing star for his last two professional bouts, supporting him as he continues his pursuit of a world championship. Marcial, 8-0 with 5 knockouts as a professional, is coming off a highlight-reel victory after stopping Omar Huerta via third-round knockout earlier this month in California, USA. Reflecting on his professional journey, Marcial credited SportsPlus for playing an important role in his development inside and outside the ring. “First of all, I’m truly honored and grateful that SportsPlus PH believed in me and did not hesitate to support me. They made me feel that I can become a world champion someday as a professional boxer,” Marcial said. “They are there to help and support me as I take every step in my career. From the 50th Anniversary of Thrilla in Manila to my fight against Huerta, they have been there, backing me and supporting me every step of the way.” Beyond his own partnership with SportsPlus, the 30-year-old Marcial, who hails from Lunzuran, Zamboanga City, also acknowledged the company’s broader support for Filipino athletes through its partnership with the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC). “I’m also very happy because they don’t just support me in my professional fights. They also support us national athletes through their partnership with the Philippine Olympic Committee,” Marcial said. “SportsPlus also supports the grassroots program that I’m building right now. Every time I need support, they are there. They believe Filipino athletes deserve recognition not only in the Philippines, but around the world,” he continued. “They also believe that through sports, you can build a better future and achieve success. That’s why SportsPlus’ trust and support mean so much to me. They are not just a sponsor; they truly believe in me, in Filipino athletes, and in Philippine sports.” At 5-foot-11, Marcial also cross-trains in basketball and is part of the Zamboanga SiKat roster in the ongoing SportsPlus MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 2026 Season. But while Marcial enjoys being on the basketball court, his primary focus remains boxing. “I hope this journey with SportsPlus continues until we finally win the world championship belt,” said Marcial, who has been promised a world title shot next year by PBC and his longtime adviser and matchmaker Sean Gibbons. SportsPlus Head of Brand Marketing Paul Macalindong expressed equal enthusiasm about the partnership. “SportsPlus and Eumir Marcial’s partnership is built on shared values of integrity, excellence, and a deep commitment to sports. We believe in the potential of Filipino athletes, and we firmly believe that Eumir has what it takes to become a world champion,” Macalindong said. Marcial has already demonstrated the talent, determination, and resilience required to compete at the highest level. With SportsPlus continuing to support his professional journey, the Filipino boxing star remains focused on the ultimate goal—a world championship. TMT

MANILA, Philippines — Zamboanga SiKat asserted its superiority over Imus Yangkee, 86-61, on Monday to keep its playoff drive going in the SportsPlus MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 2026 Season at the Calapan City Coliseum in Oriental Mindoro. Improving on their 102-82 thumping of the Yangkees in their first encounter this year, the Zamboanguenos led by as many as 31 points (62-31) to arrange a knockout match with either the Mindoro Tamaraws or the Basilan Steel, who are battling each other in the second game, for the eighth and last quarterfinal slot in the South Division. All 15 Zamboanga players scored, led by Brandon Wilson with 12 points plus rebounds; Levi Hernandez, with 10 points plus 6 rebounds; Joseph Gabayni, with 7 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists; John Arthur Calisay, with 7 points and 4 rebounds; and Robin Rono, with 7 points and 4 assists. It was Paeng Are, the MPBL's first One Versus One champion, who was chosen the SportsPlus best player with 12 assists, 3 steals, 3 points and 2 rebounds. Zamboanga, with Calisay and Puray outscoring the entire Imus crew, 13-11 stormed ahead at halftime, 56-31, and never looked back. The Zamboanguenos ruled the boards, 61-40, and turned that into more points in the paint, 44-20. Imus concluded its campaign this year, putting to waste Dylan Darbin's 17 points and Ian Pardo's 16. The MPBL first held its games in Calapan in 2023 at the nearby Sentrong Pangkabataan Gym. Pola Mayor Jennifer "Ina Alegre" Cruz, team owner of the Mindoro Tamaraws, and Calapan City Mayor Doy Leachon led thousands of spectators who filled the newly inaugurated coliseum. TMT

T-Mc Ongotan dropped a career-high 29 points as Arellano University squeaked past Colegio de San Juan de Letran, 82-81, in the NCAA Season 102 on Monday at the Filoil Centre in San Juan.

The Philippine women’s softball team bounced back from back-to-back setbacks with an emphatic 7-3 victory over Republic of Korea in the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan on Monday. The Cebuana Lhuillier-backed Blu Girls opened their Asian Games bid with a 0-10 loss to host Japan followed by a 1-10 beating against powerhouse Chinese Taipei. The Philippines, however, entered the win column on Monday with a seven-run explosion in the sixth inning against the Koreans. Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines (ASA-PHIL) presidentJean Henri Lhuillier welcomed the team’s turnaround, highlighting the resilience shown after a challenging opening stretch.  “This is the kind of response we wanted to see from our Blu Girls. The first two games were difficult, but they stayed together, trusted each other, and continued to fight,” said Lhuillier,  who also president and CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier. “This win against Korea shows their resilience and what they are capable of when they play with confidence. We are very proud of the way they bounced back, and we know they will continue to give everything for the Philippines.” Nicole Adra Hammoude provided one of the Philippines’ strongest performances at the plate, finishing with three hits, three RBIs, and one run in four at-bats.  Team captain Ma. Charlotte Sales drove in three runs and reached the home plate herself. Skylynne Kopia Ellazar, Reyae Mae Villamin, Mylia Isabel Perez and Mary Jane Libaton also scored runs for the Philippines.  The Blu Girls finished with 10 hits and committed no errors while Korea recorded eight hits and one error. Glory Alonzo started the game and kept the Koreans scoreless through four innings, allowing four hits while striking out two.  Royevel Palma pitched the remaining three innings for the Philippines and surrendered three runs on four hits with two strikeouts.  Korea scored three runs in the fourth inning but the Philippines answered with seven unanswered runs in the sixth.  Korea was unable to score again the rest of the way. The Philippines will next face Thailand on Sept. 29, Singapore on Sept. 30, China on Oct. 1 and Hong Kong on Oct. 2.