TOP SPOTLIGHT: PHILIPPINE SPORTS ICONS IN APRIL 2025
Leading actors confirmed for April's Public Service Announcement honorees, with Baylon taking the helm.
Take a breather and huddle up, sports fans! It's time to highlight the Philippine Sports Association's (PSA) top achievers for April 2025. These athletes don't just play the game, they dominate it!
First up is none other than Wushu prodigy Carlos Baylon Jr., who stunned the crowd at the International Wushu Federation (IWUF) 10th Sanda World Cup in Jiangyin, China. Hailing from La Carlota City, Negros Occidental, Baylon, 27, anchored a glorious one-gold, two-bronze performance, with an impressive 2-1 victory over 2024 Wushu World Championship bronze medalist Hio Lam Ku of Macau. In the finals, he bested Saydullo Abdurashitov of Uzbekistan with a score of 2-0. Baylon shared his thoughts on his hard-earned victory, saying, "After playing for so many years, I finally won the gold medal and the World Cup!"
In the world of sambo martial arts, Sydney Sy Tancontian excelled, defeating Mongolia's Ser-Ochir Buyanzaya in the final of the women's +80kg division at the Asia and Oceania Sambo Championships in Uzbekistan. Other teammates, Aislinn Yap, and Richmond Revina, also snagged medals for the Philippines in the tournament.
Allain Ganapin, a parataekwondo athlete who competed at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, secured the bronze medal in the men's K44 -80kg category at the 7th World Taekwondo President’s Cup - Asian Region in Tai'an, China.
Meanwhile, the Philippine surfing team placed third in the ISA World Longboard Championship in El Salvador with 2288 points, narrowly missing the first and second spots held by France (2865) and USA (2335). Jay-R Esquivel won the bronze in the men's individual play.
The Philippines even kicked its way to the top at the 1st Thailand Kickboxing World Cup in Bangkok, taking home eight golds, four silvers, and 10 bronzes, cementing their position as a force to be reckoned with in the kickboxing world!
In the realm of pole vaulting, world No. 4 EJ Obiena conquered the Taiwan International Pole Vault Championship, masterfully clearing the bar at 5.50 meters and leaving American Matt Ludwig (5.30m) in the dust.
Lastly, tennis sensation 19-year-old Alex Eala left guests at the Miami Open amazed, defeating three grand slam champions, including world No. 2 Iga Swiatek, to skyrocket her world rankings from No. 140 to No. 75. She even reached a career-high No. 72 last month, impressively making it to the Round of 32 at the Oeiras Ladies Open in Portugal and triumphing over No. 64 Viktoriya Tomova of Bulgaria at the WTA 1000 Madrid Open before facing Swiatek in the next round.
These incredible athletes prove that being unstoppable in Philippine sports is not just a dream – it's a reality! Go #PHSports!
[1] PNA, (April 2025). "Carlos Baylon Jr., Sydney Sy Tancontian, Allain Ganapin, and Philippine Surfing and Kickboxing teams top PSA monthly achievers for April 2025." Retrieved from https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1128408.
[2] PN Star, (April 2025). "National Academy of Sports (NAS) produces its first batch of completers, dominating national competitions." Retrieved from https://www.pinstar.ph/news/national-academy-of-sports-produces-its-first-batch-of-completers-dominating-national-competitions.
- Boxing prodigy Carlos Baylon Jr., competing at the 64kg category, claimed the gold medal in the 2025 International Wushu Federation (IWUF) 10th Sanda World Cup, held in Jiangyin, China.
- In the Asian and Oceania Sambo Championships, Philippine athlete Sydney Sy Tancontian won gold in the women's +80kg division, besting Mongolia's Ser-Ochir Buyanzaya.
- Allain Ganapin, a parataekwondo athlete, captured the bronze medal in the men's K44 -80kg category at the 7th World Taekwondo President’s Cup - Asian Region in Tai'an, China.
- The Philippine surfing team narrowly missed the first and second spots in the ISA World Longboard Championship, finishing third with 2288 points. Jay-R Esquivel won the bronze in the men's individual play.
- In the 1st Thailand Kickboxing World Cup, the Philippine team demonstrated its strength by taking home eight golds, four silvers, and 10 bronzes.
- Tennis sensation Alex Eala, aged 19, left the Miami Open audience in awe, defeating three grand slam champions and reaching the career-high No. 75 world ranking, after triumphing over Viktoriya Tomova of Bulgaria at the WTA 1000 Madrid Open.


