Manila: For successfully defending his International Boxing Federation (IBF) minimumweight title, the Philippine Sportswriters Association on Thursday named Pedro Taduran as top achiever for May. The native of Libon, Albay delivered power punches to Ginjiro Shigeoka, winning via a split decision in their rematch in Osaka, Japan on May 23. He wrested the crown from the Japanese in July 2024.
According to Philippines News Agency, the 28-year-old southpaw (18-4-1, 13 KOs) is now one of only two Filipino world champions - the other being WBC counterpart Melvin Jerusalem. Other Filipino athletes also made the country proud with their accomplishments abroad.
World No. 4 pole vaulter Ernest John "EJ" Obiena won his third title at the Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea. He cleared 5.77 meters to beat Chinese Bokai Huang in the jump-off. Annie Ramirez defeated Galina Duvanova of Kazakhstan in the women's -57kg category to secure her second title at the Asian Jiu-Jitsu Championships in Amman, Jordan.
The Philippines bagged 10 gold, three silver, and three bronze medals in the IWF World Youth and Junior Championships in Lima, Peru. Jhodie Peralta captured the snatch, clean and jerk and total gold medals in the Women's Youth 55kg class to lead the charge. Albert Ian Delos Santos (Men's Junior 67kg), Jay R Colonia (Men's Youth 49kg), and Alexsandra Diaz (Women's Youth 45kg) topped two events each and Althea Bacaro ruled the snatch in the women's Youth 40kg category.
The Gilas Pilipinas Youth, led by MVP Gab delos Reyes, topped the FIBA U16 Asia Cup SEABA Qualifiers in San Fernando City, Pampanga. The team, coached by L.A. Tenorio, swept the six-game tournament capped by a 70-40 rout of Indonesia in the finals.
Alex Eala reached a career-high No. 69 in women's tennis world rankings and debuted in a Grand Slam main draw at the French Open. She lost to Colombian Emiliana Arango, 0-6, 6-2, 3-6, in the first round. In the doubles, she teamed up with Mexican Renata Zarazua to beat British Emily Appleton and Spaniard Yvonne Cavalle-Reimers, 7-5, 6-4, but fell to Serbian Olga Danilovic and Russian Anastasia Potapova, 6-1, 6-3, in the second round.
Mountaineers Ric Rabe, Jeno Panganiban, and Miguel Mapalad joined the elite club of Filipinos to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
