Alex Eala had an amazing August, and it made her the top name on the Philippine Sportswriters Association’s honor roll for the month.
The 21-year-old tennis star claimed the WTA500 Mubadala Open in Washington. She beat some of the best players in the world back to back to claim the crown: Olympic gold medalist Qinwen Zheng, defending champion Leylah Fernandez, No. 10 Elina Svitolina, former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka and No. 3 Jessica Pegula.
This win helped Eala climb to a career-high ranking of No. 18. She broke the old record of No. 19 by Indonesia’s Yayuk Basuki in 1997 and Thailand’s Tamarine Tanasugarn in 2002 to become the highest ranked Southeast Asian player in WTA history.
Eala’s close friend, pole vaulter EJ Obiena, also had a strong month, ranking high on the honor roll. Back on the European circuit, he won the Golden Sand 2026 in Poland with a leap of 5.91 meters, a new meet record. Obiena also won two other events in Germany: the 30th International Stabhochsprung Meeting in Jockgrim where he registered a mark of 5.83 meters and ISTAF 2026 in Berlin where he cleared 5.82 meters.
Other Filipino athletes also excelled in August. The Philippine Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) team of Sandi Menchi Abahan, Marites Nocyao, Jeffrey Reginio and Jordan Paul Biollones captured the gold medal in the Mixed 30+ 400m Team event at the OCR World Championships in Ireland, clocking in at 2:18.400.
The Filipino youth weightlifters also made their presence felt in the Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships in Uzbekistan, taking home 16 gold, six silver and nine bronze medals. The team was led by Albert Ian Delos Santos, who swept all three of his events in the Junior Men’s 70kg division. He also broke the world and Asian records in the Clean & Jerk (180kg) and the Total (321kg).
In speed skating, 13-year-old Keirsten Layne Fernandez made history as the first Indian to win the 2026 Asian Open Short Track Speed Skating Trophy in India. She won first place in the Junior C Girls 1000m race (1:44.307) and had a top finish in the 777m race. Two other young skaters also medaled, Xsandrie Guimba and 8-year-old Zymone Zurbito.
GOLF Ten-year-old Kamilla Edrianna Guerrero del Mundo captured the US Kids Golf Girls 10 world title in North Carolina with a three-round total of 17-under-par. This, a month after she won her age group title at the Junior World Golf Championships in California.
Finally, in beach volleyball, the Alas Pilipinas women’s team of the Philippines did well in a tourney in South Korea. The young tandem of Khy Progella and Sofiah Shanine Pagara took home the gold while veterans Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons had to settle for silver.
