If one were to think of a word that would best sum up Philippine sports in 2023, "eventful" or "memorable" or "historic" would come to mind. At different times during the year, Filipino athletes from various disciplines made headlines and grabbed the spotlight on the international stage. Here are five spectacular moments that truly stood out.
Gilas gets the gold
In a year where their performances were always under heavy scrutiny and every misstep magnified, Gilas Pilipinas found redemption in the unlikeliest way. A hastily-formed team beat the odds and made history in Hangzhou, China by winning the country's first Asian Games men's basketball gold medal in 61 years.
Their epic semifinal victory over hosts and longtime rivals China, is our choice for Philippine sports' top moment of 2023. This story had everything: drama, intrigue, excitement, and in the end, a win.
The gold lost just a bit of its luster after semifinal hero and the team's heart and soul Justin Brownlee failed his doping test a week later, but the Philippines will still officially go down in the record books as the men's basketball champions of the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games.
Filipinas make football history
Prior to this year, the Philippines had never participated in any FIFA World Cup, men's or women's. That all changed on July 21, when Lupang Hinirang was played for the first time at a FIFA World Cup match. The Filipinas took to the pitch to face Switzerland during their first match of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in New Zealand. The moment was so moving that several players and delegation members openly wept while singing the national anthem.
That the Filipinas eventually lost 2-0 hardly mattered, especially since four days later they made history again by stunning the hosts 1-0 courtesy of a header from Sarina Bolden. A World Cup debut, a first goal, and a first win by a Philippine team at the highest level of football trumped the 6-0 loss to Norway that brought their campaign to an end on July 30.
The basketball world descends upon Manila
Some of the greatest basketball players on the planet converged in Manila for the second time in ever as the Philippines played host to the FIBA Basketball World Cup. Gilas' stint ended in the group stage, but they went out in glory with a 21-point win over China. But even with the host team eliminated, there were still plenty of basketball moments waiting to happen.
From Austin Reaves becoming the unlikeliest celebrity on a star-studded Team USA, to Luka Doncic captivating the Filipino crowd with his every move, to Germany's spirited run to the gold, this World Cup left an indelible mark on Filipino hoops fandom.
EJ Obiena reaches greater heights
The best pole vaulter in the world is, without question, Armand Duplantis of Sweden. The second-best? As of the end of 2023, it's Filipino Ernest John "EJ" Obiena. Never has a Filipino track and field athlete come this close to the pinnacle of the sport.
Obiena broke his own Philippine record more than once in 2023 as he won gold in the Southeast Asian Games and Asian Championships. In the World Championships, he became the first Asian to medal in the pole vault when he won silver. It was also the Philippines' first silver medal in the event. His 6.0 m clearance made him the first Asian to reach that mark. Then to cap off the year, Obiena easily won the Asian Games gold medal in Hangzhou, the first Filipino athlete to win an athletics gold at the event since 1986.
Alex Eala makes her mark
The Philippines doesn't have a rich history in tennis, but Alex Eala just might become the country's first international tennis star. At minimum, she's already one of the most recognizable Filipino athletes. The 18-year-old took big strides in 2023 toward becoming a household name by appearing in her first seniors Grand Slam qualifiers.
All in all, Eala won two International Tennis Federation (ITF) singles titles and finished runner-up in two others, results that helped push her world ranking to a career-high 189 at year's end. In Hangzhou, she came tantalizing close to the gold medal matches in both women's singles and mixed doubles. She went home with two bronze medals and it marked the first time since 1966 that a female Filipino tennis player medaled at the Asian Games.
Honorable mentions: Gilas gets SEA Games redemption on linoleum floor, Chezca Centeno wins Women's World 10-ball title, and Meggie Ochoa and Annie Ramirez finally wins that elusive Asian Games jiu-jitsu golds.