Career-high night gives Soyud boost to Player of Week plum

Inquirer.net - Nov 2, 2026

For Eli Soyud, trust has been the driving force behind her explosive performance in the Akari Chargers’ back-to-back wins in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference Siklab Series. The veteran winger delivered one of the best performances of her pro career when she erupted for a career-high 30 points to power the Chargers’ come-from-behind

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Youth Olympic Games opens in Senegal
Nov 1, 2026

Youth Olympic Games opens in Senegal

DIAMNIADIO, Senegal — The Youth Olympic Games opened in Senegal on Saturday (Sunday in Manila), marking the first Olympic event in Africa as the continent seeks a bigger role in international sports competitions. Tens of thousands of spectators cheered on the opening ceremony in the Diamniadio Olympic Stadium near the capital Dakar. Hundreds of drummers and dancers celebrated Senegalese and African culture in line with the Games motto, “Africa welcomes, Dakar celebrates.” A giant map of Africa was created by performers dressed in yellow, black and white traditional Senegalese gowns, dancing in unison, in a grandiose ceremony that saw West African oral storytelling, concerts by Senegalese singers and athletes parading. Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye declared the Games open. “This is a historic event and it was so important for me to be here,” said Aby Diouf, 25, a Senegalese spectator at the stadium. “It’s a marvellous celebration and we are all here to bring the energy and get people hyped." About 2,700 athletes aged 14 to 17 will compete through Nov. 13 in Dakar, the nearby city of Diamniadio and the beach resort of Saly. Russia’s delegation of 13 athletes is competing under its national flag for the first time at an Olympic event since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 led to its suspension. The first refugee team at a Youth Olympics will field six athletes based in Kenya and Uganda in track and field, judo and taekwondo. Athletes overall will compete in 153 medal events across 25 sports. Singapore hosted the first summer Youth Games in 2010. Dakar was initially due to host in 2022 but the coronavirus pandemic delayed the Games. “This is a historic moment for Senegal, for Africa and for our entire Olympic family” IOC President Kirsty Coventry said at the opening ceremony. Coventry, a former swimming gold medalist from Zimbabwe, became the first female and African boss of the International Olympic Committee last year. AP

Barca hammers Alaves, keeps La Liga top spot
Nov 1, 2026

Barca hammers Alaves, keeps La Liga top spot

BARCELONA — Raphinha and Lamine Yamal each struck twice as Barcelona thrashed Alaves, 6-1, on Saturday to reclaim their La Liga lead and get back on track after two damaging defeats. Earlier Atletico Madrid, second, earned a solid 2-0 win at Levante, but Barca moved back two points clear of the Rojiblancos by routing the Basque visitors at Camp Nou. Still stinging after a Champions League defeat by Paris Saint-Germain and then last weekend's La Liga home Clasico loss against rivals Real Madrid, Hansi Flick's side found their groove once more. Raphinha netted twice in the first half, either side of a Fermin Lopez strike, and Yamal found the net just before the interval. Teenage winger Yamal netted again midway through the second half and substitute Anthony Gordon chipped home Barca's sixth, before Mariano Diaz pulled one back for Alaves. "It was a hard week for us, there was no better place than Camp Nou in front of our fans (to bounce back)," Lopez told Movistar. "They make the difference, Lamine and Raphinha, with them we will achieve big things." There was a minute's silence at the start of each of the day's matches in memory of the 69 victims of the train crash in the province of Toledo that rocked Spain this week. Flick lined up with Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong playing at center-back and youngster Brian Farinas making his first start at right-back, amid a spate of defensive injuries. It did not hamper the champions. Barcelona moved ahead in the eighth minute, with La Liga's top scorer Raphinha continuing his red-hot form after Lopez teed him up. Lopez doubled Barcelona's lead himself in the 23rd minute. Yamal slipped the midfielder in and, from a tight angle, he smashed the ball across goal and fortuitously in at the far post, seemingly intending to cross it. Karim Adeyemi and Yamal both missed glorious chances from close range to expand on Barca's lead, with Raphinha showing the duo how to do it as he bagged his 15th league goal. Lopez sent the forward through on goal and Raphinha produced a lethal finish across Antonio Sivera. Perhaps frustrated by his miss, Yamal smashed home the fourth with an instinctive low strike from the edge of the box in first half stoppage time. Adeyemi blazed another presentable chance over the crossbar early in the second half after Lopez unselfishly set him up. Yamal got Barca's fifth with a neat dink over the goalkeeper after substitute Gabriel Jesus played him through on goal. Gordon produced a similar finish for Barca's sixth and the only tarnish on their evening was former Real Madrid striker Diaz netting late on.

PVL: Team effort, trust key to Akari success, Mars Alba says
Nov 1, 2026

PVL: Team effort, trust key to Akari success, Mars Alba says

MANILA, Philippines — Veteran setter Mars Alba is eager to make the most of Akari’s talent by orchestrating a balanced offense in the PVL All-Filipino Conference Siklab Series. Alba dished out 22 excellent sets and scored eight points in Akari’s second straight win of the tournament, outlasting Farm Fresh, 25-22, 25-27, 22-25, 25-23, 15-12, last

Eala takes on Parks in Hong Kong opener
Nov 1, 2026

Eala takes on Parks in Hong Kong opener

FILIPINO tennis ace Alex Eala faces American Alycia Parks for the third time — this time at the WTA 250 Hong Kong Open in China, where Eala plays her final tournament of the season. Eala and Parks enter their third clash on Monday, if not Tuesday, with a 1-1 head-to-head record. Main draw matches of the tournament which will run until Nov. 8 start on Monday but the order o play wasn't available yet as of writing. World No. 19 and tournament No. 2 seed Eala and world No. 65 Parks were pitted against each other in the draw ceremony Saturday. Parks topped Eala in their first meeting at the Australian Open first round, 0–6, 6–3, 6–2, last January. Eala got back at Parks at the Toronto Open second round, 6–1, 4–6, 6–2, last August. The two netters were coming off their respective campaigns at the WTA 500 Tokyo Open in Japan. Eala reached the quarterfinal where she lost to world No. 13 Diana Shnaider in an epic 3-set battle, 2-6, 6(5)-7, 4-6, last Friday. While Eala didn't make a deep run, she finally broke her Asian Swing "second round wall" and make a breakthrough quarterfinal appearance. Eala could not get past the second round in the previous tournaments of the Asian Swing. The 21-year-old suffered upset losses to world No. 180 Tatiana Prozoroava at the Singapore Open second round and to No. 217 Shi Han in the Wuhan first round. Eala finally scored back-to-back wins in Tokyo, where she defeated world No. 411 and wildcard Mika Stojsavljevic in the opener, 6-1, 6-2, and No. 38 Talia Gibson in the second, 4-6, 6-2, 6-0. Meanwhile, Parks fell to world No. 144 Mia Pohánková in her quarterfinal bracket, 6-7 (3), 3-6.

World No. 1 Picklum praises Pinay teen
Nov 1, 2026

World No. 1 Picklum praises Pinay teen

DESPITE bowing out of the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour Philippines Pro, 15-year-old Filipino surfer Mara Lopez earned something more meaningful than a victory after drawing praise from none other than world No. 1 Molly Picklum. The Australian surfing star was impressed by the young La Union native, who faced her in Round 1 and Heat 5, and saw in Lopez a promising talent capable of inspiring the next generation of Filipino surfers. Lopez finished with 4.50 points against Picklum's 11.50 in the competition at the famed Cloud 9 reef break in Siargao on Sunday morning. The young wildcard managed a 2.50-point ride on her third wave and added 2.00 on her fourth. The reigning world No. 1 produced scores of 5.33 and 6.17 to secure the victory in the historic competition presented by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and backed by Surigao del Norte Gov. Robert Lyndon Barbers, General Luna Mayor Johnson Sajulga and Vice Mayor Romina Sajulga. But beyond the result, Picklum was particularly touched after learning that she may have been one of Lopez's inspirations in taking up the sport. "Maybe I'm one of her inspirations. And that stuff to me is just so special," Picklum said, reflecting on her encounter with the young Filipino surfer. Picklum also had encouraging words for Lopez, praising her surfing ability and revealing that the teenager is also an outstanding longboarder. "I said to her, you're surfing so well. And she's also an A-one longboarder," the Australian star said. More than recognizing Lopez's talent, Picklum believes the young surfer can become a role model for other aspiring athletes in the country. "Either way, she's going to inspire the next generation, which is just so cool," she added. The world No. 1 also expressed admiration for Siargao's closely-knit surfing community, pointing out how the small island has built a strong culture around the sport. "Siargao is such a small island and they have such a strong surfing community. So that was really cool," Picklum said. For Lopez, the encounter with one of the sport's biggest names provided a valuable experience despite the early exit. Picklum's words also served as a strong vote of confidence in the young Filipina's ability to make her mark in the sport. Also backing the event are the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor), Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza), and NEA/Siarelco.

Umandal rediscovers passion for volleyball
Nov 1, 2026

Umandal rediscovers passion for volleyball

JAU Umandal’s love for volleyball resurrected after stepping away from the court for six months. The 28-year-old Umandal admitted that his motivation for the game diminished and was not the same as before — but he was glad that he joined the young VNS (Volleyball Never Stops) Griffins squad, where he rediscovered his passion for the sport once again. Umandal, a 2024 PNVF Men’s Champions League Most Valuable Player (MVP) and a four-time MVP in Spikers’ Turf, assisted VNS in scoring its first win in the 2026 Invitational Conference after a 30-28, 25-20, 25-21 sweep of AFP. “I stepped away for some time. I lost my willingness and my patience, and now, joining this team, I realized a lot. I realized that I am just like them back then, dreaming and trying,” he told the media in Filipino. “I am happy that it all returned; that’s why I am thankful that I was given a chance. I am happy for this opportunity.” Umandal formerly headlined the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup lineup for Alas men, and is a co-captain with Marck Espejo. This time, Umandal is leading a younger group in the local league, and his experience is much needed. “My experience has also expanded too because I am working with a younger generation. We know that there’s a lot to work on, but we train very hard in training so that they can also keep up with the veterans," said Umandal, who was formerly one of the key cogs of the now-defunct Cignal HD Spikers. He was part of the historic silver finish at the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games held in Manila, and he also became one of the team’s anchors in the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia. He also became the third Filipino men's volleyball player of his generation to secure a professional contract overseas when he signed with Bani Jamra in the Isa bin Rashid Volleyball League in 2022. Umandal, now leading the VNS grassroots team, embraces a new challenge in passing on all the knowledge that he picked up in his years of experience in volleyball.

Alex Eala begins Hong Kong Open bid vs Alycia Parks
Nov 1, 2026

Alex Eala begins Hong Kong Open bid vs Alycia Parks

MANILA, Philippines–Alex Eala wraps up her Asian swing and breakthrough season at the Hong Kong Open. Eala opens her campaign against American Alycia Parks in the round of 32 on Monday at Victoria Park Tennis Stadium. The 21-year-old Eala and Parks split their first two meetings, which took place this year. READ: Alex Eala aiming

Alciso upsets Olympic champion Vaast
Nov 1, 2026

Alciso upsets Olympic champion Vaast

SIARGAO, Philippines —  Filipino wildcard Jayuard Alciso upset French Olympic gold medalist Kauli Vaast to advance to Round 2 of the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour Philippines Pro at Cloud 9 on Sunday. The Asian Games bronze medalist posted 12.93 points in Round 1, Heat 8, with a 7.33 on his seventh wave and a 5.60 on his ninth to beat Vaast, the world's No. 9 surfer. “I'm so happy to win this heat. This is my first time competing here, and beating an Olympic gold medalist is not easy. I'm really proud of myself,” Alciso said after the victory. He said seeing his family, friends and girlfriend watching from the beach helped him during the competition. “I'm 100 percent focused because all my friends, my family and my girlfriend were there watching me. Their support helped me stay focused, and I was able to come up with big scores,” he said. Alciso also thanked the local fans in Siargao who cheered him on throughout his heat. “I'm so happy to make it to Round 2. I just want to thank my supporters, my family, friends, my girlfriend and all the locals here in Siargao. Thank you all for supporting me,” he added. The historic competition is presented by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), with the support of Surigao del Norte Gov. Robert Lyndon Barbers, General Luna Mayor Johnson Sajulga and Vice Mayor Romina Sajulga. Surfers eliminated in the opening round will receive US$13,000 (around P830,000), while the champion will pocket US$80,000 (approximately P5.1 million). Also supporting the event are the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), and NEA/SIARELCO. Fans can watch the competition live on the One Sports YouTube channel and Cignal Play. TMT

Polo, Ajido in position for podium in Dakar YOG
Nov 1, 2026

Polo, Ajido in position for podium in Dakar YOG

DIAMNIADIO, Senegal—Angel Polo ranked third in the preliminaries of women’s Taijishan of wushu and Jamesray Mishael Ajido qualified for the men’s 100 meters butterfly of swimming for a potential start for Team Philippines in the Dakar 4th Youth Olympic Games on Sunday. Polo admitted committing errors with the fan and her balance midway her routine to momentarily seize the lead with 9.223 points, but wound up third behind former world youth championships gold medalist Ng Zhe Nin of Singapore and Chu Yu En of Chinese-Taipei. A favorite in the event, Ng garnered 9.300 points with Chu matching Polo’s score in the first of two events—the Taijiquan preliminaries are set Monday with the top eight on combined scores advancing to the final on Tuesday. “I had an error, I didn’t keep my grip on the fan properly causing me to lose my balance a bit,” said Polo, 15, and a bronze medalist in last March’s world juniors championship in Tanjin, China. Ajido, on the other hand, clocked 56.33 seconds, 1.32 seconds off his personal best, to salvage seventh in the list of eight qualifiers for the final set 3 p.m. (Senegal time) also Sunday. Egypt’s Ali Sain looked formidable at 53.96 seconds, followed by Slovakia’s Matias Kristof (54.68) and India’s Tirthank Pegu (55.15). No other swimmer from Southeast Asia made the final with Vietnam’s Van Hoang Quy Duong at ninth with 56.78 seconds. TMT

NBA: Trail Blazers bounce back, roll over Jazz
Nov 1, 2026

NBA: Trail Blazers bounce back, roll over Jazz

SALT LAKE CITY — Deni Avdija scored 24 points, Damian Lillard added 22, and the Portland Trail Blazers rebounded from their first loss of the season by blowing past the Utah Jazz 112-90 on Saturday. Toumani Camara, Scoot Henderson, and Jrue Holiday each tallied 14 points as Portland (4-1) rebounded from losing to Memphis on

NBA: Pelicans trounce Hawks for 2nd straight win
Nov 1, 2026

NBA: Pelicans trounce Hawks for 2nd straight win

NEW ORLEANS — Saddiq Bey scored 25 points in a reserve role, Jeremiah Fears added 20 points, and the New Orleans Pelicans beat the Atlanta Hawks 121-99 on Saturday night. Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III each scored 15 for the Pelicans, who lead by 28 en route to their second straight victory after losing

Diana Shnaider beats Leylah Fernandez for Pan Pacific Open title
Nov 1, 2026

Diana Shnaider beats Leylah Fernandez for Pan Pacific Open title

Russia’s Diana Shnaider won her first title of the year on Sunday with a hard-fought 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 victory over Canada’s Leylah Fernandez in the Pan Pacific Open final in Tokyo. World number 13 Shnaider looked to be cruising to victory after winning the first set and taking a 4-0 lead in the second. World

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