Asian Games open with more athletes than Olympics, unfamiliar sports

Inquirer.net - Sep 19, 2026

READ: Follow Inquirer Sports’ special coverage of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 NAGOYA, Japan— The opening ceremony of the Asian Games on Saturday marked the official start of the 16-day event — but in name only. Facing a packed schedule, competition in basketball started on Sept. 10 — more than a week ago. The semifinals

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Team Philippines proudly marches as Asian Games 2026 get underway

Sep 19, 2026

Team Philippines proudly marches as Asian Games 2026 get underway

READ: Follow Inquirer Sports’ special coverage of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 MANILA, Philippines — Let the Asian Games begin. Team Philippines officially opened its Aichi-Nagoya campaign after parading at Paloma Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium in the opening ceremony on Saturday. Weightlifter Albert Ian Delos Santos and Olympic bronze medalist boxer Aira Villegas carried the

Asian Games 2026 begin, with Japan hosting for 1st time since 1994

Sep 19, 2026

Asian Games 2026 begin, with Japan hosting for 1st time since 1994

READ: Follow Inquirer Sports’ special coverage of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 began Saturday, with Japan hosting the continental summer games for the first time since 1994 and welcoming 45 countries and regions competing in 43 sports. Qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics is at stake in sports including

UAAP: NU blitzes past UE for first win

Sep 19, 2026

UAAP: NU blitzes past UE for first win

MANILA, Philippines—National University entered the win column after easing past University of the East, 76-56, in the UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball tournament on Saturday at Smart Araneta Coliseum. The Bulldogs recovered from an opening day loss at the hands of defending champion La Salle to improve to a 1-1 card. “In our first game,

Team Phillipines ‘all ready’ as Asian Games 2026 set to go on full swing

Sep 19, 2026

Team Phillipines ‘all ready’ as Asian Games 2026 set to go on full swing

READ: Follow Inquirer Sports’ special coverage of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino is confident that Team Philippines will thrive in the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026. Hours before the opening ceremony, Tolentino, who set a target of eight gold medals, expressed his excitement, as the Asiad is

Asian Games boxing draw set as Marcial status up in air

Sep 19, 2026

Asian Games boxing draw set as Marcial status up in air

MANILA, Philippines – The timing could hardly be more complicated. The boxing draw for the 2026 Asian Games will be held today, just hours after Eumir Marcial's bout against Omar Huerta in Temecula, California. The result and Marcial's physical condition after the fight will determine whether the Tokyo 2021 Olympic bronze medalist can fly to Japan and compete in the 80kg division starting Sept. 23. "Mahirap umasa. Very stressful umasa," said Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines (ABAP) president Marcus Manalo. "I think malabo na. Mabigat din ang kalaban niya. If he wins, ano ang condition niya? Kung makahabol siya, may jetlag pa siyang haharapin," he added. Huerta, 30, an American of Mexican descent, is no patsy with a 15-1-1 (13 KOs) record. Marcial is unbeaten in seven pro fights. Another concern for Manalo is Marcial's hands. "Laging na-i-injure, at matagal ang recovery," he said. In the end, it will be up to Marcial if he can catch up with Team Philippines in time to be included in the draw. If he makes it, it will be his third Asian Games stint after a bronze in 2018 Jakarta-Palembang and silver in 2023 Hangzhou. But with or without Marcial, the Philippine boxing team looks poised to end a long Asian Games gold drought with a crack roster led by Olympic medalists Nesthy Petecio, Aira Villegas and Carlo Paalam. Their roads to glory will be determined in Sunday's draw. TMT

Eala to face either Costoulas or Prozorova in Singapore Open 

Sep 19, 2026

Eala to face either Costoulas or Prozorova in Singapore Open 

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino sensation Alex Eala will face either Belgian Sofia Costoulas or Russian Tatiana Prozorova to open her campaign in the WTA 500 Singapore Tennis Open at The Kallang. The tournament draw on Saturday revealed this potential clash. Armed with a first-round bye as the No. 3 seed, Eala will face the winner between Costoulas and Prozorova in their first-round clash. Costoulas and Prozorova will likely battle each other on Monday.

LIVE: Team Philippines at Asian Games 2026 opening ceremonies

Sep 19, 2026

LIVE: Team Philippines at Asian Games 2026 opening ceremonies

The Asian Games 2026, hosted by Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, officially kick off on Saturday, September 19. Team Philippines’ delegation will be led by flag bearers Aira Villegas and Albert Ian Delos Santos. When and where to watch the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 opening ceremonies When: 6pm JST, 5pm PH time onwards Where: Paloma Mizuho Park Athletic

Sibol PH’s Pokémon Unite team ‘ready’ to catch Asian Games gold

Sep 19, 2026

Sibol PH’s Pokémon Unite team ‘ready’ to catch Asian Games gold

READ: Follow Inquirer Sports’ special coverage of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 MANILA, Philippines — Sibol Philippines’ Pokémon Unite squad is raring to make its mark in the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 after its recent World Championship appearance. Japan, where Pokémon, the global phenomenon anime, originated, included Pokémon Unite — the multiplayer online battle arena mobile

Asian Games: Ian Delos Santos relishes ‘unexpected’ role for PH

Sep 19, 2026

Asian Games: Ian Delos Santos relishes ‘unexpected’ role for PH

READ: Follow Inquirer Sports’ special coverage of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 MANILA, Philippines — Flag bearer and young weightlifter Albert Ian Delos Santos relished the rare opportunity to carry the flag of Team Philippines in the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 opening ceremony on Saturday. Moments before the parade, Delos Santos expressed his excitement to be

Alas’ Rondina-Pons, Progella-Pagara begin Asian Games medal bids

Sep 19, 2026

Alas’ Rondina-Pons, Progella-Pagara begin Asian Games medal bids

MANILA, Philippines — Alas Pilipinas women’s beach volleyball teams begin their medal quests in the Asian Games 2026 on Sunday at Hekinan Ryokuchi Beach Court in Aichi, Japan. Southeast Asian Games gold medalists Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons and the fast-rising tandem of Khy Progella and Sofiah Pagara play in their respective groups, where the

Eala ramps up training for Singapore Open

Sep 19, 2026

Eala ramps up training for Singapore Open

FILIPINO tennis ace Alexandra "Alex" Eala ramped up her training for the WTA 500 Singapore Tennis Open which will run from Sept. 21 to 27 at The Kallang. Alex's father, Michael, posted photos of her training in a facility on Friday night. As a top-four player in a 28-player, 500-tier tournament, world No. 18 and No. 3 seed Eala secured a first-round bye to begin her campaign in the second round. Initially seeded No. 6, Eala moved three places up after the withdrawals of world No. 3 Jessica Pegula, No. 13 Diana Shnaider and No. 15 Sorana Cirstea. Pegula, Shnaider, and Cirstea were supposed to claim the No. 1, No. 4 and No. 5 seeds respectively. World No. 5 Mirra Andreeva became the No. 1 seed while No. 11 Amanda Anisimova seized the No. 2 seed. World No. 19 Elise Mertens elevated to the No. 4 seed, completing the top four players with first-round byes. The Singapore Open was set to begin its qualifying stages on Saturday. After appearing multiple times at the New York Fashion Week, Eala went back to the Philippines on Sept. 13. Eala paid a visit to her alma mater Colegio San Agustin-Makati where she also trained briefly before flying to Singapore. The 21-year-old left for Singapore on Thursday. The Singapore Open serves as Eala's buildup for the 20th Asian Games, where tennis play will swing from September 27 to October 3 in Nagoya, Japan. That schedule runs smack into the WTA 1000 China Open, which is set from Sept. 30 to Oct. 11 in Beijing. Eala will skip the China Open in a bid to win the Asiad gold medal which will give her a qualification path to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. If Eala wins the gold, she only needs to maintain a singles ranking inside the top 500 by the June 2028 deadline. Without a WTA exemption, Eala will suffer a zero-point penalty, a $10,000 (P626,000) fine, and potentially lose year-end bonuses for skipping the China Open which she is contractually obliged to compete in as a top player. The Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) requested an exemption from the WTA for Eala to avoid such penalties but there's no word yet on whether it was denied or approved.

PH tankers launch Asiad gold medal bid

Sep 19, 2026

PH tankers launch Asiad gold medal bid

THE Philippine national swimming team begins its campaign in the 20th Asian Games at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre in Japan on Sunday. Filipino tankers see action in five events starting with Gian Santos who competes in the men’s 200m individual medley. Santos tries to make the cut out of the four heats set at 9:08 a.m. with the final scheduled at 4:09 p.m. in Manila. Logan Wataru Noguchi follows Santos as he splashes his way in the men’s 100m freestyle final. Noguchi battles in the 5-heat event set at 9:44 a.m. with the final unfurling at 4:53 p.m. With only a little breather, Noguchi returns to action in his second and final event in the men’s 100m backstroke heats at 10:05 a.m. If he makes the cut, Noguchi tries to medal in the final at 5:13 p.m. Meanwhile, Miranda Renner opens the Philippine campaign on the women’s side as she dives in the women’s 50m breaststroke. The 3-heat event is set at 9:59 a.m. with a final set at 5:01 p.m. After Renner’s heats, Xiandi Chua, Teia Salvino, Heather White, and 2-time Olympian Kayla Sanchez plunge in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay. The 2-heat event is set at 10:19 a.m. with a final set at 5:33 p.m. Sanchez, who won a silver medal in the same 4x100m freestyle relay event with the Canadian Olympic team at the 2021 Tokyo Games, is expected to anchor the fight for the Filipino tankers. The 25-year-old is making her second Asian Games appearance after debuting for the Philippine national team in the previous edition in China in 2023. Sanchez won three gold medals at the Southeast Asian Games last December.

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