Fullcourtfresh.com

28/07/2024

PINAY GYMNASTS DROP OLYMPICS BID

Filipina gymnasts Aleah Finnegan (top), Emma Malabuyo (top left), and Levi Ruivivar (top right) virtually bowed down from medal contention as the three missed the cut for the 2024 Olympics women's artistic gymnastics finals during Sunday's qualifiers in Paris.

Finnegan had the best performance, placing 14th in vault with 13.383 points while Malabuyo placed 15th in floor exercise with 13.100 points.

Only the top eight gymnasts, maximum of two per country, qualify for the apparatus and floor exercise finals.

Ruivivar and Malabuyo scored 51.099 points each in the individual all-around contest while Finnegan scored 50.498 points.

Their scores were not enough to crack the top 24 to qualify for the individual all-around finals.

The former USA national is the most accomplished of the trio, with two Southeast Asian Games gold medals and one Pan-American Games gold medal.

Malabuyo, meanwhile, is the reigning Asian champion in floor exercise while Ruivivar won a bronze medal in the recent Asian Championships in uneven bars.

Four-time gold medalist Simone Biles of USA continues to top the table with 59.566 points.

(Photos from Finnegan, Malabuyo, and Ruivivar's Facebook accounts).

28/07/2024

INJURED CATANTAN SHOWS GALLANT STAND VS ITALIAN CHAMP, EXITS PARIS

Fighting the world number two and former Olympic gold medalist with a busted left knee, world number 266 Samantha Catantan of the Philippines fought tooth and nail against Italian legend Arianna Errigo, losing, 12-15, in the round of 32 of the 2024 Olympics fencing women's foil event on Sunday at the Gran Palais.

Sustaining her knee injury in the first round of the round of 64 match versus Mariana Pistoia of Brazil, Catantan expectedly started slow against Errigo, trailing 0-4 to start the match.

Catantan clawed back with five straight points and traded hits with Errigo despite buckling down again with her busted knee from her first match, but the 36-year-old took advantage with a 7-4 second round for a 13-9 lead.

Catantan nonetheless pressed hard in the third round, confusing Errigo with surprise attacks, even threatening to score an upset when she trimmed the lead to 12-14.

Errigo ultimately snatched the win when Catantan was given a red card for a second illegal stab in the 54 second mark of the third round as the Italian left the mat with a heavy sigh of relief.

Despite the loss, it was a memorable debut for the 22-year-old former UE Red Warrior, who upset the world number 65 Pistoia despite her injury and stretching the heavily favored Errigo to three rounds.

Catantan may have been the first Filipino to exit Paris, but her trajectory is definitely upwards after this stint.

Meanwhile, Catantan's former national teammate Maxine Esteban absorbed a 7-15 round-of-32 loss to former Olympic silver medalist and world number 15 Pauline Ranvier of France.

The former Ateneo Lady Eagle and world number 27 was also on her Olympic debut, representing the Ivory Coast.

(Photo from Samantha Catantan's Facebook account)

28/07/2024

HEART OF A WARRIOR: CATANTAN NIPS BRAZILIAN TITAN ON ONE LEG

Heavy underdog Samantha Catantan should have called it quits, as she busted her left knee with 24 seconds left in round one, down 4-7 against Mariana Pistoia of Brazil, an opponent ranked 201 places ahead of her.

The former UE Red Warrior, however, took the pain to heart, upsetting the world number 65, 15-13, in the round of 64 of the 2024 Olympics fencing women's foil tournament on Sunday at the fabled Gran Palais.

Despite wincing in pain and limping throughout the match, the world number 266 from Quezon City scored four straight points after the injury to grab the lead after getting down, 0-3, early in the match and, after a fiery exchange in round two, scored the last three of the match to seal the win.

Catantan will have an hour to recover for her next match, former Olympic gold medalist and current world number two Arianna Erigo of Italy in the round of 32.

Former Philippine national and current Ivorian athlete Maxine Esteban will also open her bid against former Olympic silver medalist Pauline Ranvier of France in the round of 32.

(Photo from Samantha Catantan's Facebook account)

28/07/2024

DELGACO ENTERS ROWING QF, TOPS REPECHAGE

Filipina rower Joanie Delgaco finally finished strong and has secured a ticket to the 2024 Olympics rowing women's single sculls on Sunday in Vaires-sur-Marne, France.

Delgaco clocked in seven miinutes and 55 seconds, finally beating Southeast Asian rival Pham Thi Hue of Vietnam by five seconds in the Repechage One, who is also through to the quarterfinals.

Delgaco and Pham were neck and neck in the first kilometer but a second half surge of strength by Delgaco secured a comfortable lead over the Vietnamese.

Pham had previously defeated Delgaco for the gold medal of the 2021 Southeast Asian Games.

Missing the cut were third placer Yariulvis Cobas of Cuba, Evidelia Gonzalez of Nicaragua, and Akoko Komlanvi of Togo.

This is the second straight Olympics where a Filipino rower reached the quarterfinals, a feat accomplished by Cris Nievarez in Tokyo 2020.

The quarterfinals is set on Tuesday, 3:30 PM.

(Photo from Joanie Delgaco Facebook account)

27/07/2024

UPDATED: YULO ENTERS 3 GYMNASTICS FINALS IN PARIS

Pinoy Olympic gymnast Carlos Yulo exhibited world class performances in the qualification phase of the 2024 Olympics men's artistic gymnastics on Saturday in Paris, placing second in floor exercise, sixth in vault, and ninth in individual all-around.

Yulo scored 14.766 points in floor exercise, a discipline where he won a world title and three Asian crowns.

He was behind Jake Jarman, with the British gymnast of Filipino descent scoring 14.966 points.

Yulo, also a world champion in vault, scored 14.683 points.

Only the top eight for each apparatus/exercise, limited to a maximum of two finalists per country, will qualify for the finals.

Despite dropping in the other apparatuses, Yulo placed ninth in the individual all-around competition with 83.631 points, behind the top two gymnasts of China, Japan, United Kingdom,Ukraine's Oleg Verniaiev, and Italy's Yumin Abbadini.

The top 24 gymnasts, limited to a maximum of two per country, will book a ticket to the men's individual all-around finals on July 31.

Yulo is the reigning all-around Asian champion and has won two Southeast Asian Games gold medals in that discipline.

Yulo made the vault finals in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics where he placed sixth.

The individual all-around, floor exercise, and vault finals are slated on July 31, August 3, and August 4, respectively.

Yulo's teammates Aleah Finnegan, Emma Malabuyo, and Levi Ruivar will see action in women's artistic gymnastics tonight at 8:50 PM.

(Photo from Carlos Yulo's Facebook acoount).

27/07/2024

PH OLYMPIC DEBUT: BITTERSWEET FINISH FOR DELGACO

Filipina rower Joanie Delgaco narrowly missed an outright quarterfinals berth in the 2024 Olympics rowing women's singles sculls race, placing fourth in heat two on Saturday in Vaires-sur-Marne, France.

Clocking in at seven minutes, 56.26 seconds, the heavy underdog Delgaco was ten seconds behind the last qualifier Nina Konstanjsek of Slovenia.

The reigning Asian Beach Sprint double sculls champion was in fact ahead of the higher rated Konstajsek until the last 700 meters, where the Slovenian torpedoed past the Filipina for the big ticket.

Karolien Florijn of the Netherlands topped the heat while Aurelia-Maxima Katharina Janzen of Switzerland placed second.

Delgaco drops to the repechage set for Sunday, 3 PM, together with fifth placer Nihed Benchadli of Algeria and last placer Majdouline El Allaoui of Morocco, where they will vie for the last six quarterfinals berth.

Delgaco's best single sculls performance was in the 2021 Southeast Asian Games, where she snagged the silver medal.

(Photo from Joanie Delgaco Facebook account)

21/07/2024

EALA CONQUERS SPAIN, WINS TWO W100 TITLES

Filipina teenage netter Alex Eala has reached the biggest milestone of her tennis career, winning the 2024 Open Araba en Femenino singles title, 6-4, 6-4, against fellow teenage star Victoria Jimenes of Andorra on Sunday in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.

On top of her singles trophy, Eala won last night the tournament's doubles crown alongside champion partner Estelle Cascino of France in three sets against Diana Markincevica of Latvia and Lia Karantcheva of Bulgaria.

This marks Eala's first pro double crown, as well as her highest flight titles, which are at the W100 level.

This week's championships add 150,000 US dollars on Eala's career earnings.

Eala, an Asian Games double bronze medalist, has turned 19 last May and is on her fourth year as a professional tennis player.

📷 Alex Eala

20/07/2024

EALA NOTCHES BIGGEST DOUBLES TITLE

Alex Eala and Estelle Cascino grabbed their second doubles trophy, winning the 2024 Open Araba en Femenino versus Diana Marcinkevica of Latvia and Lia Karatancheva of Bulgaria, 6-3, 2-6, [10-4], in Spain on Saturday evening.

The Filipino-French pair, winners of this year's Open de Seine-et-Marne in France last March, forced their Eastern European foes numerous errors in the third set, with Eala covering the baseline and Cascino scoring on crucial winners in front.

The trophy is Eala's biggest so far as a professional, as the ongoing tournament is an ITF W100 event.

This was also her seventh ITF title in more than three years in the professional circuit.

The 19-year-old will not leave the Vitoria-Gasteiz hard court though as she will face fellow teenager Victoria Jimenez of Andorra in the singles final.

Jimenez, a winner of five ITF crowns, cruised past French veteran, 6-2, 6-2, in the singles semis while Eala also had an easy time versus Maria Jose Portillo of Mexico in the first game, 6-2, 6-1.

Eala and Jimenez will tussle tomorrow evening at 6 PM.

(Photo from Estelle Cascino's Facebook account)

20/07/2024

DOUBLE FINAL FOR EALA

Pinay teenage netter Alex Eala scored a double final at the ITF W100 Vitoria Gasteiz, routing 25-year-old Mexican Maria Jose Portillo, 6-2, 6-1, in the singles semis on Saturday in Spain.

Eala will face the winner between world number 231 Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva of Andorra and world number 131 Jessika Ponchet of France in tomorrow's final.

Jimenz Kasintseva is currently ahead by a set against Ponchet as of posting time.

Eala and partner Estelle Cascino of France will play in the doubles final tonight at 11 PM against veteran doubles specialist Diana Marcincevika of Latvia and Lia Karatancheva of Bulgaria.

This is Eala's first double final in her three-year career and also the first two in a W100 event.

(Photo from Alex Eala's Facebook account)

20/07/2024

The Philippine men's under-19 national football team scored an historic win against Timor-Leste U19, 2-0, to keep its semis hopes alive in the 2024 ASEAN Boys' Football Championship on Saturday in Surabaya.

Striker Otu Banatao scored a brace to tow the young Filipinos to their first win in Group A, three days after suffering a 0-6 opening defeat against host Indonesia.

The DC United Academy striker first struck goal in the 11th minute with a header off a back volley by Queensland U winger Noelle Moya.

Banatao doubled in the 61st minute, getting an errant clearance from Timorese defender Alexandro Lemos.

This was the first win of the Filipinos againt Timor-Leste after three losses in tournament history: 2-5 in 2019, 1-2 in 2016, and 1-2 in 2013.

The Philippines are still at third place with three points (-4 goal difference) but has a better chance of qualifying for the semifinals if they win against Cambodia on Tuesday.

Timor-Leste, who won against Cambodia, 3-2, last Wednesday, will simultaneously face Indonesia for their closer.

(Photo by the Philippine Football Federation)

19/07/2024

JUST IN: Champion duo Alex Eala of the Philippines and Estelle Cascino of France have cruised through the final of the ITF W100 Vitoria-Gasteiz in Spain, winning 6-2, 6-3, agianst the Latina duo of Maria Jose Portillo of Mexico and Noella Zeballos of Bolivia on Saturday midnight.

This is the second final of Eala and Cascino, four months after winning the W75 Croissy-Beauborg in France.

Still undefeated set-wise, Eala and Ponchet will face 30-time ITF doubles champ Diana Marcinkevica of Latvia and Lia Karatancheva of Bulgaria.

This will be Eala's most prestigious pro tennis final in her young career.

In singles play, Eala (world number 155) won her quarterfinals match against 2024 Wimbledon second round finisher Yuliia Starodubtseva (123) of Ukraine, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4.

Eala will meet Portillo (496) in the semifinals tomorrow evening.

📷 Estelle Cascino Facebook account

15/07/2024

Remember back in the day when the UP Fighting Maroons was all fight with no wins at the UAAP Men’s Basketball?

After watching the UP Fighting Maroons lose badly to UE, incoming journalism freshie Francis Jasper Fulgar wrote an open letter to the men's basketball team.

Read it here: http://fullcourtfresh.com/2014/07/you-are-way-better-than-that-an-open-letter-to-the-up-fighting-maroons/

14/07/2024

He will be remembered for his honesty. Rest now, sports truth teller, Sir Chino Trinidad.

📸 Manolo Chino Trinidad page

Our tribute to the icon:
https://www.fullcourtfresh.com/mainnews/chino-trinidad-sports-truth-teller-56/

14/07/2024

FCF@PFL
Philippines Football League Match Day | July 13, 2024

Loyola FC 0 - 3 KAYA Futbol Club

📸 Brandon Deichmann

13/07/2024

FCF@PFL
Philippines Football League Match Day | July 13, 2024

Maharlika FC 2 - 9 United City Football Club


📸 Brandon Deichmann

13/07/2024

FCF@PFL
Philippines Football League Match Day | July 13, 2024

Manila Montet FC 2 - 8 Manila Digger F.C.


📸 Brandon Deichmann

11/07/2024

TapDMV BRINGS THE USA MEN'S BASKETBALL SHOWCASE VIA TV & STREAMING
(article & image c/o M2Communications)

Before heading to France to play for their fifth consecutive gold medal, the USA Basketball Men's National Team will headline the USA Basketball Showcase, which will feature a series of exhibition games across the United States, U.A.E. and United Kingdom leading up to the 2024 Summer Olympic Games. The USA Men’s National Team will compete against the men’s national teams of Australia, Canada, Germany, Serbia, and South Sudan.

Beginning Thursday, July 11 through Tuesday, July 23, Tap Digital Media Ventures (TapDMV) will deliver the USA Basketball Showcase to fans in the Philippines through free-to-air channel Blast Sports, cable TV channels Tap Sports, Premier Sports 1, Premier Sports 2 and Premier Football, and streaming platform BlastTV.

The USA Basketball Men’s National Team is headlined by 12 athletes with extensive USA Basketball experience including Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat), Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns), Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers), Kevin Durant (Suns), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), Jrue Holiday (Boston Celtics), LeBron James (Lakers), Kawhi Leonard (L.A. Clippers) and Jayson Tatum (Celtics). The team is led by head coach Steve Kerr (Warriors), who is assisted by Mark Few (Gonzaga University), Tyronn Lue (Clippers) and Erik Spoelstra (Heat).

The schedule of the USA Basketball Showcase is as follows (Philippine Time):
July 11 (Thursday), 10:30 a.m. - USA vs. Canada (Las Vegas, United States)
July 16 (Tuesday), 12:00 a.m. - USA vs. Australia (Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.)
July 18 (Thursday), 12:00 a.m. - USA vs. Serbia (Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.)
July 21 (Sunday), 3:00 a.m. - USA vs. South Sudan (London, United Kingdom)
July 23 (Tuesday), 3:00 a.m. - USA vs. Germany (London, United Kingdom)

*The USA Basketball Showcase will air live on the BlastTV app and the TapDMV cable channels Tap Sports, Premier Sports 1, Premier Sports 2, and Premier Football. The July 11 USA vs. Canada game will broadcast live on free-to-air channel Blast Sports, while the remainder of the USA Basketball Showcase will be aired via delayed telecast at 8 a.m. on the same day.

In addition to the USA Basketball Men’s National Team, TapDMV will deliver a pair of exhibition games featuring Australia and Serbia’s Men’s National Teams on Wednesday, July 17 at 12:00 a.m. and USA and Germany’s Women’s National Teams on Wednesday, July 24 at 3:00 a.m.

For more information on Blast TV, visit app.blasttv.ph, download the Blast TV App on the App Store and Google Play, and follow Blast TV () on Facebook, Instagram and X. ***

11/07/2024

Y-3 and JFA unveil inaugural collection
(article & photos c/o Greenbulb Communications )

For the first time, Y-3 (designer Yohji Yamamoto & adidas) and the Japan Football Association (JFA) have come together to unveil a collaborative collection that spans both an On-Pitch offer and Culturewear. The full collection was revealed during Y-3’s Paris Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2025 on June 21st.

An ode to the eternal cultural pull of football, the collaborative collection is a milestone moment for the Y-3 label. Telling a story of the national team’s enduring dynamism, hand painted flame graphics, created in house at Yohji Yamamoto, act as consistent motifs throughout the collection, representing the Japanese symbol for mystic power and strength.

With the world descending upon Paris for a summer of sport, the Y-3 for JFA collection unites two spiritual homes as the Japanese men’s and women’s national teams are set to don the new on-pitch collection during their competitive matches. The Culturewear collection, meanwhile, is inspired by one of the JFA’s goalkeeper jerseys in the late 90s, which has become a cult favorite for its bold and instantly recognisable all over print flames.

In celebration of the landmark occasion, the inaugural Y-3 for JFA collection is brought to life with a series of striking visuals shot by Muga Miyahara, starring men’s and women’s national team players Takefusa Kubo, Yui Hasegawa, Hinata Miyazawa, and Fuuka Nagano. The Culturewear collection is presented through a lookbook shot by legendary Japanese photographer and Yohji Yamamoto collaborator, Takay.

The collection is now available at adidas.com.ph, adidas Brand Center Glorietta 2 and adidas Two Parkade, BGC. ///

08/07/2024

FCF@PFL
Philippines Football League Match Day | July 7, 2024

KAYA Futbol Club 1 - 0 Davao Aguilas FC


📸 Brandon Deichmann

08/07/2024

Congratulations, KAYA Futbol Club ! 🥳

We've got you covered

08/07/2024

KAYA Futbol Club's Jarvey Gayoso on his penalty that sealed Kaya's PFL 2024 Championship

07/07/2024

Cambodia-bound Jarvey Gayoso saved his best for last in his final year with KAYA Futbol Club, as the Mighty Lions scored back-to-back titles in the Philippines Football League (PFL) in their 1-0 win versus Davao Aguilas Sunday evening at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

Playing from the left wing, Gayoso attacked the goal against the Davao back third and absorbed a penalty from defender Reynald Villareal in the 17th minute.

The incoming Phnom Penh Crown striker cooly sank the spot kick to the top right corner of the goal, past goalkeer Dini Ouattara, for the championship point.

07/07/2024

FCF@PFL
Philippines Football League Match Day | July 7, 2024

As the commentator said, "This night is Mendiola FC 1991's night!"

Maharlika FC 0 - 1 Mendiola FC 1991

📸 Brandon Deichmann

07/07/2024

FCF@PFL
Philippines Football League Match Day | July 7, 2024

Philippine Air Force Football Club 2 - 0 Philippine Army Football Club
😉
📸 Brandon Deichmann

AIR FORCE DOWNS ARMY FOR SECOND STRAIGHT WIN
(article courtesy of Philippine Air Force FC)

Philippine Air Force continued their recent run of form with a decisive 2-0 win over Army on Sunday.

New recruit Kenneth Lecoto struck a minute before halftime at Rizal Memorial, converting a square pass from Jed Delariarte from close range after a lightning-quick Air Force counter attack.

The Airmen killed off the game in the 68th minute with Jed Delariarte firing in a glorious shot from the left side past Army goalie John Kent Delariarte, his cousin.

Jed Delariarte earned Man of The Match honors for his two goal involvements.

Air Force have now won two matches in a row after dismantling Montet Manila 8-0 last weekend.

The result also nudges the team up the Philippines Football League standings, from 14th place to 12th, tied with Tuloy on nine points but with a lesser goal difference.

With two one-goal losses preceding these two victories, Air Force has momentum going into their last game of the season against Garelli next Sunday.

Attending the game was none other than Philippine Men's National Team head coach Tom Saintfiet.

There was a clear Ilonggo flavor to the game, with fourteen starters from the two teams hailing from Barotac Nuevo and a couple more from nearby Sta. Barbara.

Supporting both military teams is Elan Vita Diagnostic Solutions led by Keith Buyco. * * *

07/07/2024

Brazil ends our Olympic basketball dream.
📸 FIBA

We've got you covered

06/07/2024

FCF@PFL
Philippines Football League Match Day | July 6, 2024

United City Football Club 2 - 2 One Taguig FC


📸 Brandon Deichmann

06/07/2024

FCF@PFL
Philippines Football League Match Day | July 6, 2024
Manila Digger dug deep at today's game!

Don Bosco - Garelli United 0 - 7 Manila Digger F.C.


📸 Brandon Deichmann

06/07/2024

FCF@PFL
Philippines Football League Match Day | July 6, 2024
The lads of Tuloy FC win vs. red-carded Loyola FC, 6-2


📸 Brandon Deichmann

04/07/2024

Brazil will meet the Philippine men's national basketball team in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament semifinals on Saturday in Riga.

This after Brazil managed to top Group B of the tournament after getting upset by world number 68 Cameroon to close the group stage.

As a result, Montenegro got ousted from Olympic contention alongside Balkan power Georgia due to inferior point difference.

Host Latvia will battle Cameroon in the other semifinal game.

All six teams carry a one-win, one-loss card.

Gilas suffered a narrow loss, 94-96, to Georgia in the first game but Georgia failed to get the +19 point difference needed to advance.

04/07/2024

Bagaman natalo sa Georgia, pasok pa rin sa semis ang Gilas Pilipinas ! "We have our tickets to leave tomorrow… so I guess we have to move them back a little bit. That is how surprised we are," sabi ni Coach Tim Cone. ❤️🇵🇭

📸 FIBA

We've got you covered