CORRECTION Tokyo Olympics Athletics

Oct 5, 2026

Yulo, Yape set for highest Asian Games cash bonus

Oct 5, 2026

Eala out of WTA Finals contention

FILIPINO tennis ace Alex Eala is already eliminated from WTA Finals contention after skipping the WTA 1000 China Open for the 20th Asian Games in Japan. Currently at No. 17, an “X” is already placed next to Eala’s name in the WTA live race Monday, signifying that she’s no longer in contention for the season-ending event. The WTA Finals is slated from Nov. 8 to 15 in Indian Wells. World No. 18 Eala missed out on precious China Open ranking points to play for the Philippines in the Asiad, where she made a semifinal finish for a bronze medal. The decision to skip China Open ensured that Eala won’t reach the top eight in the cutoff deadline on Nov. 1. Sporting 2,181 points this season, Eala is 2,173 behind current No. 8 Linda Noskova who holds 4,354 as of posting time. Even if Eala joined the China Open, it would have been improbable for her to overtake Noskova. Overtaking the Czech netter meant that the Filipino player would need to go deep in the tournament while the former would need to make a quick exit. Then, that scenario would have needed to repeat at the Wuhan Open — the last 1000 event of the year — for Eala to truly close the gap and give herself a fighting chance to take the No. 8 spot. A quick exit in China would have quickly eliminated Eala from the WTA Finals contention anyway. Even world No. 14 Diana Shnaider got booted out after reaching the third round in Beijing, giving her a total of 2,408 only which is even 227 higher than Eala’s total points. Taking this to account, Eala’s decision to skip China for the Asiad proved sound albeit she will suffer fines and likely be disqualified for season-ending bonuses. World No. 1 Elena Rybakina (7,492) and No. 2 Aryna Sabalenaka (6,485) are so far the only players who have qualified for the WTA Finals, which has a 5,915-point qualification cut. World No. 3 Jessica Pegula (5,825), No. 4 Mirra Andreeva (5,722), and No. 5 Coco Gauff (5,654) are closing in on the threshold. World No. 6 Elina Svitonlina (4,809), No. 7 Karolina Muchova (4,400), No. 8 Noskova (4,234), No. 9 Marta Kostyuk (3,910), and No. 10 Iga Swiatek (3,584) are within striking distance.

Oct 5, 2026

PBA adjusts schedule for Gilas’ FIBA bid

THE Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) continues to demonstrate its unwavering commitment to the national cause, adjusting its calendar to support Gilas Pilipinas in their quest to secure a berth in the 2027 FIBA World Cup in Doha, Qatar. Currently in the final leg of a two-month conference break, the pro league suspended action to allow national team players to compete in two major international tournaments: the fourth window of the FIBA World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers and the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The Season 50 Governors’ Cup is set to resume on Wednesday, Oct. 7, to complete the elimination round and quarterfinal phase. However, the PBA will take another scheduled hiatus shortly after to give Gilas ample time to prepare for the fifth window of the Asian Qualifiers in late November, where the Philippines will face Syria and Iran in Seremban, Malaysia. These calendar sacrifices come on the heels of momentum-building home victories against Jordan and Iran during the August window at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. Playing without injured naturalized star Justin Brownlee, Gilas leaned heavily on the return of 7-foot-3 center Kai Sotto, who anchored the team with solid averages of 15.5 points, 15.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists. The Philippines currently holds a 4-4 record in Group E, trailing leaders Australia (8-0), New Zealand (6-2), as well as Iran and Jordan (both 5-3). With only the top three teams per group and the best fourth-placed team qualifying for the World Cup, every remaining window is critical. To accommodate these international commitments while keeping its three-conference format intact, the league is looking at tighter timelines for next season. PBA Commissioner Willy Marcial revealed that Season 51 is targeted to open in February 2026, following the Rookie Draft on Jan. 17, but side events like out-of-town games and the annual All-Star Weekend may be sidelined to fit the calendar before December 2027. All proposed schedule adjustments remain subject to final approval by the PBA Board of Governors.

Oct 5, 2026

Chourio lifts Brewers over Padres

LOS ANGELES —Jackson Chourio smacked a walk-off two-run single to give the Milwaukee Brewers a 4-3 victory over the San Diego Padres on Sunday (Monday in Manila) and a commanding 2-0 lead in their Major League Baseball playoff series. For the second straight day the Brewers rallied from 2-0 down to beat the Padres, who are now in survival mode as the best-of-five National League division series shifts to San Diego for Game 3 on Tuesday. “I don’t have words for this,” Venezuela’s Chourio — who hit a two-run homer to spark the Brewers’ Game 1 rally — told Fox Sports after belting a two-out, bases-loaded fastball from dominant Padres closer Mason Miller up the middle for the winning runs. “I was just looking for a good pitch to hit there and, you know, thankfully he threw me one that I could do something with,” Chourio said. With three errors the Brewers looked far from the team that won an MLB best 103 regular-season games. San Diego seized a 1-0 lead in the first inning and capitalized on Brewers errors to push the advantage to 2-0 in the fifth. Milwaukee had stayed in range with a run in the bottom of the fifth, finally breaking through against Padres starting pitcher Michael King with a double from Christian Yelich, who scored on a base hit by Sal Frelick. The Padres pushed their lead back to two in the seventh, but the Brewers pulled within 3-2 in the bottom of the inning when an error from Padres second baseman Jake Cronenworth allowed a run to score. “We’re a team that never backs down,” Chourio said. “We’re never going to back down from a challenge, and we like these moments. We’re going to keep going, and we’re going to battle for every opportunity that we get.” The winners of the series will take on either the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers or the Atlanta Braves for a place in the World Series. The Dodgers, trying to become the first team since the New York Yankees in 1998, 1999 and 2000 to win three straight World Series titles, took a 1-0 series lead into game two of their NL division series against the Braves later Sunday in Los Angeles.

Oct 5, 2026

Smotherman wins first PGA Tour title

Oct 5, 2026

Messi readies for final farewell

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Lionel Messi will bring the curtain down on his glittering Argentina career on Tuesday with a farewell friendly against Benin that marks the dawn of a new era for the South American champions. After more than two decades of service to his country, the 39-year-old superstar will hand over the captain’s armband for good as he makes his final appearance in the Albiceleste jersey at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. Messi will be joined for his international swansong by 85,000 spectators and several of the teammates with whom he reached the pinnacle of football at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, alongside members of Argentina’s emerging generation. The friendly marks a symbolic passing of the torch for a player whose international legacy includes a World Cup title, two Copa America crowns and the Finalissima. Messi also bows out as Argentina’s record appearance-maker and leading scorer, with 125 goals in 207 games, as well as a record 68 assists. His farewell comes two and a half months after Argentina’s ill-tempered World Cup final defeat to Spain in New Jersey, where Messi exited in tears after making little impression. “I gave it my all; I have nothing left to give, and besides, there are great young players coming up who deserve their chance,” Messi wrote when announcing his international retirement in August. Messi remains under contract with Inter Miami until 2028, although following the death of his father, Jorge, two months ago, he revealed he may hang up his boots for good sooner than anticipated. Members of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad — the players who delivered the country’s third star — and their families will join Messi for Tuesday’s farewell against Benin, ranked 93rd in the world. Veterans of that Doha triumph such as Angel Di María, who retired from international football in 2024, will be there to witness the passing of the torch to a new generation charged with extending the Albiceleste’s golden era. Several of the newcomers, including Franco Mastantuono and Leonel Flores, were not even born when “La Pulga” (“The Flea”) made his Argentina debut in 2005 for a team whose history had for so long been dominated by Diego Maradona.