Gymnast Carlos Yulo and tennis player Alex Eala lead the major contenders for the 2025 Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Athlete of the Year award.
Following a historic two-gold medal romp at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Yulo topped the vault event at the 53rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Jakarta, where he also took the floor exercise bronze medal.
The 25-year-old likewise bagged the floor exercise gold and three bronze medals at the Artistic Gymnastics Asian Championships in Jecheon, Korea.
Eala, 20, is the first Filipino woman to reach the top 50 in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) after a semifinal appearance at the Miami Open in March.
She won in Mexico for a first-ever WTA 125 title and delivered the country’s first gold in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand after 26 years.
Also vying for the honor to be awarded by the country’s oldest media organization at Diamond Hotel Manila on Feb. 2 are golfer Miguel Tabuena, billiards player Chezka Centeno and swimmer Kayla Sanchez.
Tabuena topped the biggest golf tournament the country ever hosted — the International Series Philippines — that featured the likes of Dustin Johnson and Patrick Reed and won USD360,000.
Centeno dominated the World Pool Association Women’s 10-Ball event by beating compatriot Rubilen Amit.
Sanchez debuted at the 33rd SEA Games with eight medals, three golds and five silvers, making her the most bemedalled Filipino in the biennial tournament.
The PSA will also hand out the President’s Award, Lifetime Achievement Award, Executive of the Year, National Sports Association of the Year, other major awards, citations, special awards, Tony Siddayao Award and the Milo Junior Athletes of the Year. (PNA)
