READ: Follow Inquirer Sports’ special coverage of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 NAGOYA–Thai women’s badminton player Pitchamon Opatniputh became the first known doping case at the Asian Games in Japan on Monday, testers said. The 19-year-old returned a positive sample for the banned substance furosemide and has been provisionally suspended, the International Testing Agency said.

READ: Follow Inquirer Sports’ special coverage of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 MANILA, Philippines — Alas Pilipinas advanced to the ninth-place battle after sweeping Mongolia, 25-13, 25-11, 25-20, in the Asian Games women’s volleyball classification round on Monday at Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Gymnasium. Angel Canino, coming off a rest, returned to action and led

READ: Follow Inquirer Sports’ special coverage of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 MANILA, Philippines–The Philippine women’s football team was relegated to a presumptive quarterfinal matchup with defending champion Japan after being handed a 5-1 loss by China in its final Group G match in the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Hopes of getting at least a draw

READ: Follow Inquirer Sports’ special coverage of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 MANILA, Philippines–Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia Carrion is cutting short her Asian Games stint after her husband died of cancer on Monday. Carrion said she would fly back to the Philippines on Monday night, leaving the national gymnasts as they continue

SINGAPORE–Southeast Asian star Janice Tjen was forced to withdraw from the Singapore Open a day before the main draw kicked off. Tjen, Indonesia’s top player, pulled out on Sunday due to a right wrist injury. The injury didn’t stop her from pushing through with her meet-and-greet at Kallang sports complex on Monday morning. READ: Globetrotting

The rise of China's teenage sensation Yu Zidi is emblematic of an exciting trend where younger swimmers are breaking through at the highest level, four-time Olympic medallist Siobhan Haughey said on Monday.

READ: Follow Inquirer Sports’ special coverage of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 MANILA, Philippines — Two-time Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo advanced to three apparatus finals–floor exercise, parallel bars and vault–and the team event in the 2026 Asian Games men’s artistic gymnastics competition despite a shaky qualification round Monday. His younger brother, Karl Eldrew, meanwhile,

The Philippines will officially secure its third medal in the 2026 Asian Games on Tuesday as MMA"s Jean Claude Saclag battles in the men"s traditional -65kg final.

READ: Follow Inquirer Sports’ special coverage of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 MANILA, Philippines—Kayla Sanchez reset the national swimming record twice in the Asian Games 2026 women’s 50-meter backstroke, but it wasn’t enough to reach the podium Monday at Tokyo Aquatics Center. Sanchez settled for fifth in her pet event despite setting a new Philippine

UNCASVILLE, Connecticut — Olivia Miles broke Caitlin Clark’s WNBA record for points by a rookie in a season on Sunday in the Minnesota Lynx’s 101-89 victory over the Connecticut Sun. Miles, who finished with 21 points, was tied with Clark at 769 points coming into the game and moved atop the list when she made

MANILA, Philippines —  Jones Llabares Inso settled for sixth place in the men’s taijiquan and taijijian final, as the medal remained elusive for the Philippine wushu team in the Asian Games. Inso garnered a total score of 19.403 in two events, as China’s Dewen Liu got the gold as the runaway winner with 19.560 points.

LIST: See the Philippines" medalists at the 2026 Asian Games, including its bronze medalists and athletes assured of medals.

TORONTO — Breanna Stewart scored 27 points to help the New York Liberty rout the Toronto Tempo 106-69 on Sunday and stay in the hunt for home-court in the opening round of the playoffs. New York (26-16) could finish anywhere from fourth to eighth in the playoff standings with two games remaining. The Liberty host

LOS ANGELES — Nneka Ogwumike had 20 points, 12 rebounds and five assists to help the Los Angeles Sparks beat the Portland Fire 105-84 on Sunday night. Ogwumike became the fourth player in WNBA history to reach 8,000 points, joining Diana Taurasi (10,646), Tina Charles (8,396) and DeWanna Bonner (8,217). The 2016 WNBA MVP has

LAS VEGAS — A’ja Wilson scored 30 points to help the Las Vegas Aces beat the Seattle Storm 98-77 on Sunday night. The four-time WNBA MVP made 16 of 18 free throws and had her 49th career 30-point game, second-most in history (Diana Taurasi, 54). The Aces (29-13) have won five in a row and

JEAN Claude Saclag got himself and the Philippines a shot at a gold medal after advancing to the 20th Asian Games mixed martial arts men's traditional -65kg final at the Nagoya City Inae Sports Center in Japan on Monday. Saclag topped home bet Daisuke Murayama, 3-0, in the semifinals to secure at least a silver medal in MMA's debut in the Asiad. The Filipino bet faces Otabek Rajabov of Tajikistan in the final on Tuesday at 1:20 p.m. in Manila. "I'm used to competing in the finals but I'm more inspired because Asian Games is different," said Saclag in an interview with One Sports. "I need to hit him (Rajabov) while also maintaining my distance and keeping him from doing his takedowns because he's good at it. If we could do that, then we'll going to win," added Saclag, who also fights in ONE FC. The 31-year-old Saclag first defeated Saud Fawaz Almolhem, 3-0, in the quarterfinals. Saclag's teammate Carlos Alvarez settled for a bronze medal finish after falling to Yerkingali Burkutalin of Kazakhstan in the men's traditional -77kg semifinals, 0-3. At press time, the Philippines collected two medals through two days of competition with the first being a bronze also from the Philippine women's soft tennis team. Over at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, 2-time Olympic swimmer Kayla Sanchez established a national record of 28.24 seconds to finish fourth in the preliminaries and advance to the women's 50-m backstroke final. Sanchez bested her previous national mark of 28.47 seconds she posted at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok last December. Sanchez's teammate Teia Salvino also reached the 50-m backstroke final as the 10th placer with 29.14 seconds in the preliminary round. Xiandi Chua likewise made the final in the women's 200-m individual medley, clocking 2:16.24 in the preliminaries. Meanwhile, Yulo brothers Carlos and Eldrew finished first and second in the men's artistic gymnastics individual all-around subdivision 1 at the Nagoya City General Gymnasium Rainbow Hall. Gymnasts in subdivision 2 were still performing at press time. A 2-time Olympic champ, Carlos posted a total of 77.264 points while Eldrew logged 75.465 in the individual all-around that doubles as qualification to individual apparatus. The top eight in each apparatus advance to the final with a limit to two gymnasts per country. "Caloy" anchored his performance with his specialty, scoring 14.300 in vault and and 13.966 in floor exercise — the same events he ruled at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Caloy logged 11.733 points in pommel horse, 11.666 in rings, 12.166 in parallel bars, and 13.433 in horizontal bar. Eldrew unleashed a 14.600 performance in floor exercise while amassing 8.233 in pommel horse, 13.500 in rings, 13.166 in vault, 14.266 in parallel bars, and 11.700 in horizontal bar. In 3x3 basketball, the Philippines opened its campaign with a 19-12 win over Mongolia in Pool A. The Filipinos likewise emerged triumphant in men's baseball, opening their campaign with a 12-0 shutout of Palestine.

SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD Isabella Tabanas gets her first taste of professional golf when she joins fellow ICTSI-backed amateurs Lisa and Mona Sarines in the Kenda Tire Cup, which gets under way Wednesday at the Taichung International Country Club in Taichung, Taiwan. The NT$4-million championship, the 16th leg of the LPGA of Taiwan Tour, is co-sanctioned by the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour and brings together the leading players from the LPGT and a strong international field. For Tabanas, however, the 54-hole event represents more than just another tournament — it marks her maiden appearance on the TLPGA, giving the promising Cagayan de Oro junior an early opportunity to test her game against seasoned professionals and top amateurs from across Asia. Tabanas, who has committed to play collegiate golf for Texas A&M University-Kingsville, is the latest addition to ICTSI’s growing stable of young players being given assistance and international exposure as part of a long-term program aimed at developing golfers capable of competing on the world stage. She will be joined by the Sarines twins, Lisa and Mona, who are also regarded as among the promising young talents in Philippine golf. The sisters have made early strides as junior golfers, gaining valuable experience in local and international competitions and steadily building the credentials that have marked them as potential future players on the LPGT. The three youngsters will have plenty to learn from the seasoned Filipina pros in the field, led by ICTSI-backed Yvon Bisera and Princess Superal, and Harmie Constantino, while also getting a firsthand look at the level required to compete successfully on the professional circuit. Kiara Montebon, 20, is also on the ICTSI roster. An incoming Biology junior, she competes for Chicago State University in US NCAA Division I. Tabanas hails from Cagayan de Oro and regularly plays at Del Monte Golf Club and Pueblo de Oro. She has competed in several tournaments in the United States since 2023 and continued her rise with a successful campaign in the FCG Collegiate Series Spring Classic at Pala Mesa Resort in Fallbrook, California last April. She heads into her first TLPGA tournament with enthusiasm and a clear development goal, hoping to sharpen her short game and improve her recovery shots around the green. Her presence, together with that of the Sarines twins, underscores the continuing push to give the country’s next generation of golfers meaningful exposure beyond junior competition.

FILIPINA tennis ace Alex Eala faces a formidable path at the 2026 Singapore Open in Kallang, Singapore, with potential high-stakes matchups against America’s Amanda Anisimova in the semifinals and reigning French Open champion Mirra Andreeva of Russia in the finals. Eala, who enters the tournament as the No. 3 seed, secured a first-round bye and will open her campaign in the Round of 16 on Wednesday. She is currently awaiting the winner of the first-round clash between Belgium’s Sofia Costoulas and Russia’s Tatiana Prozorova, scheduled for today. Also looming in Eala’s draw is Croatia’s Donna Vekic, a potential opponent in the quarterfinals. To ensure she is in top form for the tough competition ahead, Eala is leaving nothing to chance and is undergoing rigorous daily training. Local Filipino fans are eagerly anticipating her matches. Upon arriving in Singapore, Eala immediately attended a promotional event and gave an interview to CNA Lifestyle. When asked to choose between boxing legend Manny Pacquiao and tennis star Rafael Nadal, she playfully side-stepped the question, telling the interviewers, “Guys, that’s not fair. You guys did me dirty.” Eala also carries her on-court mantra of “never give up, and no doubt,” which has served as her weapon in past matches. The Singapore Open is Eala’s first tournament following the US Open. After wrapping up her Singapore campaign, she will immediately head to Nagoya, Japan to compete in the Asian Games despite a potential penalty from the WTA.

HOUSTON — Mike Yastrzemski smacked a game-winning three-run homer to lead Atlanta over Houston, 4-2, on Sunday (Monday in Manila) as the Braves clinched their seventh Major League Baseball division title in nine seasons. Atlanta’s victory also guaranteed a playoff spot for the Boston Red Sox, the sixth team to secure a post-season berth with a week remaining in the six-month campaign and six spots unclaimed. The Braves improved to 92-64 to take their first National League East division crown since 2023. “We’ve been fighting all year to get to this moment,” Braves pitcher Martin Perez said. “And we’re not done yet.” Houston’s loss ensured an American League wildcard playoff berth for Boston despite a 5-1 loss at Tampa Bay. “We never stopped believing in each other,” Boston outfielder Wilyer Abreu said. “That’s why we’re here.” The Chicago Cubs, who cruised 9-1 at Cincinnati, reached the brink of a National League playoff spot but missed out when Arizona rallied to beat the visiting New York Yankees, 8-4. Entering Sunday, the Braves, Yankees, Tampa Bay, Milwaukee and the Los Angeles Dodgers had clinched playoff berths, the Dodgers taking a 13th NL West title in 14 seasons and Milwaukee capturing the NL Central crown. Host Houston grabbed a 1-0 lead over Atlanta in the fourth inning on Jose Altuve’s solo home run. The Braves, however, answered in the sixth when Ozzie Albies singled in a run and Yastrzemski followed with a three-run homer for a 4-1 Atlanta lead. Yainer Diaz smacked a solo homer for the Astros in the eighth but Braves left-handed relief pitcher Dylan Dodd struck out the side in the ninth to give Atlanta the triumph and start the team celebration. “When we faced our biggest challenges, that’s when we’ve been at our best,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said. “You’ve got to get in and then you take your best shot. I think we’ve got to keep our foot on the gas.” ‘To hell with that’ The Red Sox, 84-72, began the season 32-46 and seemed destined to miss the playoffs, but Boston responded after manager Alex Cora was fired April 25 and replaced by interim manager Chad Tracy. “You stared impossible in the face with the position we were in and you beat it back. You said to hell with that and we’re going to go to the playoffs,” Tracy told his team after the bid was secured. At Arizona, the Yankees took a 4-1 lead in the third inning on solo homers by Heliot Ramos and Spencer Jones and George Lombard’s two-run homer. The Diamondbacks seized a 6-4 lead in the fifth inning on a bases-loaded walk followed by a grand slam homer by Nolan Arenado. Arizona’s Geraldo Perdomo added a run-scoring triple in the seventh and scored on a Corbin Carroll single to create the final margin. The Cubs routed the Reds as Pete Crow-Armstrong went 3-for-5 with a home run and three runs batted in. Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman, hitting .260 with 26 home runs and 88 runs batted in, left the game in the fourth inning after being struck in the left cheek bone by a foul ball while standing in the on-deck batter’s circle. “He had a cut under his eye,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “He was bleeding from his nose a little bit. It’s pretty swollen. It was below the eye ... It’s just an unfortunate accident. I’m hoping and praying he’s all right.”

WASHINGTON, United States — Jacob Bridgeman birdied four of the last six holes on Sunday (Monday in Manila) to hold off fellow American Ben James and win the PGA Biltmore Championship by two strokes. Bridgeman fired a 10-under-par 61 with eight birdies and an eagle to finish 72 holes on 26-under 258 at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove in Asheville, North Carolina. “When I was over the putt I knew where it was going to go. It was just magical,” Bridgeman said. “I just made so many putts.” It was the second career PGA crown for 26-year-old Bridgeman, a native of nearby Inman, South Carolina, playing in front of family and friends who captured his first in February at Riviera. “It was super cool,” Bridgeman said. “It was awesome. I felt like I had all my family and friends cheering for me. “It was pretty neat. It’s super cool to perform in front of them. I’m super pumped.” Bridgeman will play for the United States in next week’s Presidents Cup at Medinah. “It’s a dream come true,” he said. “Being able to play as a team for the United States, I’m really pumped.” James matched his career-low PGA round with a 61 to finish second on 260, one stroke ahead of fellow Americans Ricky Castillo and Neal Shipley with Americans J.T. Poston and Jackson Koivun sharing fifth on 263. Bridgeman birdied three of the first four holes, added a 10-foot eagle putt at the par-five eighth and sank a five-foot birdie putt at the 10th for a one-stroke lead. James grabbed a share of the lead with a birdie at the par-five 15th but Bridgeman answered with a birdie from just outside five feet at the 13th. When James made a 26-foot birdie putt at 16, Bridgeman responded with a 12-foot birdie putt at the par-three 14th to regain the solo lead. Bridgeman tapped in for birdie at 15 and James did the same at the par-five 17th to stay on his heels. A closing par by James left him needing a mistake by Bridgeman in the last two holes but the leader added a tap-in birdie at 17 and parred 18 to secure the $900,000 top prize. Poston began the day 11 strokes adrift but fired a 60 and nearly had the PGA’s 17th sub-60 round. “It was pretty special,” Poston said. “It was just cool to have a round like that.” Poston, this year’s Memorial winner who grew up in nearby Hickory, was in the first group off the back nine after a fog delay and reached 18 needing a birdie for 59. He parred after missing a putt from just beyond 26 feet.

LOS ANGELES — The Dallas Cowboys beat arch-rivals Washington, 37-20, in a game marred by a gruesome injury to Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, while the Chicago Bears lost their own signal-caller Caleb Williams in defeat to Minnesota on a brutal L Sunday. Dak Prescott threw for 279 yards and four touchdowns in Arlington, Texas, surpassing former Dallas great Tony Romo for the most touchdown passes in Cowboys history. “There’s a lot of bigger numbers out there that I want — a championship — but we’re just getting started,” said Prescott, whose team improved to 1-1 after an opening-weekend loss to the New York Giants. But his opposing quarterback Daniels bent his left elbow backward while tumbling from an accidental stamp by his own guard Chris Paul late in the first half, and was carted off the field with a towel covering his head. The 25-year-old re-injured the joint he dislocated last year, in another crushing blow to a Commanders franchise that the talismanic Daniels had carried to within a game of the Super Bowl in his thrilling rookie season. “It was a dislocation. The X-ray showed no fracture,” said Washington coach Dan Quinn. “Man, are we bummed for him. I thought he was really playing his ass off.” After Daniels’ departure Dallas stretched their 17-10 halftime lead, despite Washington’s backup QB Marcus Mariota finding Stefon Diggs for the receiver’s second touchdown. Earlier Sunday, Chicago’s Williams pulled up in agony while scrambling in the red zone late in the Bears’ rain-drenched and low-scoring loss 9-3 to the Vikings. The bitterly disappointing home opener brought the Bears back to earth just one week after piling up 59 points against Carolina. At a sodden Soldier Field, the Bears were restricted to just a single field goal. Williams was given no respite by the Vikings’ steely defense all game, forced to scramble under repeated blitzes, suffering three sacks and coughing up an interception before his injury. “A hamstring could be pretty damaging ... We’ll see how bad it is tomorrow,” said Bears head coach Ben Johnson, with scans scheduled for Monday. ‘Doing much better’ There were further injury woes in New York, as the Green Bay Packers grabbed a tense 20-17 overtime win after coming from 17-7 down in the fourth quarter against the Jets. The Jets failed to score on the first possession of overtime, before a defensive penalty for unnecessary roughness took Packers kicker Trey Smack comfortably into field goal range for the victory. Green Bay receiver Jayden Reed had to be carried off with a head injury after colliding with a defender’s shoulder pads and collapsing to the floor. The team later said Reed has feeling and movement in all his extremities but will stay in hospital overnight for further testing and observation. “Doing much better, appreciate all the prayers and support,” Reed posted on social media. Elsewhere, the New Orleans Saints scored 15 unanswered fourth-quarter points to turn a 17-9 deficit into a 24-17 defeat of the Ravens in Baltimore. Saints quarterback Tyler Shough’s one-yard rushing touchdown with 1min 28sec remaining gave New Orleans the win. The comeback came a week after the Saints forced overtime from 21-0 down to the Detroit Lions, but lost. This time they made no mistake. “Sometimes you have to learn how to win, learn how to finish ... We’re right on time,” said Saints defensive edge Chase Young. The Philadelphia Eagles snatched a dramatic 24-20 win over the Tennessee Titans thanks to a last-gasp Darius Cooper touchdown, while the New England Patriots bounced back from their opening loss with a clinical 20-3 defeat of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Houston’s highly rated defense could not stop Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow linking with star receiver Ja’Marr Chase for two touchdowns in a 20-6 win. And reigning champions Seattle shrugged off their quarterback Sam Darnold’s injury absence, going 2-0 under backup Drew Lock with a 31-7 rout of Arizona.

NAGOYA, Japan — You had to move quickly to see teqball, one of the new sports on view at the Asian Games. Competition wrapped up Sunday in the sport — the official opening day of the games. Several other new sports in the Asian Games also got early start days before the games officially opened on Saturday. This helped accommodate a crowded schedule. More than 11,-000 athletes from 45 countries and regions will compete in 43 sports before the games close on Oct. 4. Teqball combines football skills with a soccer-like ball that bounces on a curved table resembling a table tennis table. Teqball was created in 2014 in Hungary. Teqball resembles, very roughly, the game of sepaktakraw, which is popular in Southeast Asia. In that game, players kick a ball over a net and show off their skills as acrobats.

Carlos and Karl Eldrew Yulo, Juancho Miguel Besana advance to gymnastics finals as MMA"s Carlos Alvarez secures bronze for Team Philippines in the second day of the 2026 Asian Games.

SINGAPORE–Alex Eala won’t be making her much-awaited debut in the Singapore Open main draw until Wednesday night. But Filipino fans will have someone to root for as early as Monday night when Leylah Fernandez hits center court at OCBC Arena here. Fernandez, born and raised in Montreal, Canada, but also proud of her Filipino roots,

READ: Follow Inquirer Sports’ special coverage of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 MANILA, Philippines–Gilas Pilipinas produced two victories, including an upset of powerhouse Mongolia, on Monday at the start of its men’s 3×3 basketball competition campaign in the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 at Kinjo-futo Station Square. Nic Cabanero, Koji Buenaflor, Luis Pablo and Andrei Dungo

READ: Follow Inquirer Sports’ special coverage of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 MANILA, Philippines–Bong Liguayan came up with the big hits for the Philippine men’s baseball team in routing Palestine, 12-0, after seven innings on Monday for a winning start to its Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 campaign at Toyohashi Municipal Baseball Stadium. Liguayan, a left-handed

READ: Follow Inquirer Sports’ special coverage of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine national triathlon squad ended its Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 stint with a ninth-place finish in the mixed relay event on Monday at Gamagori City Triathlon Venue. The quartet of Raven Alcoseba, Kim Mangrobang, Fer Casares, and Andrew Kim

Carlos Yulo turns to younger brother Karl Eldrew for tips at the 2026 Asian Games.

Youth finswimmers competed in 36 categories for boys' and girls individual and relay in the 14-15 and 16-17 age groups at the Hai'an Sports Centre Natatorium, Nantong City.

China’s Yu Zidi was less than a year old when Siobhan Haughey first made the world sit up and take notice of her talent in the pool, 13 years later they are both Asian Games gold medallists and young talent is the order of the day. On Monday, Haughey defended her women’s 200m freestyle title with a crushing victory, and Yu laid down an Asian record in winning the women’s 200m individual medley. Three years ago in Hangzhou, it was Haughey setting regional and Games records, and while not “as fast...