MANILA – Olympic gymnastics champion Carlos Edriel Yulo and rising tennis star Alex Eala have emerged as the leading contenders for the 2025 Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Athlete of the Year award.
Yulo sustained his momentum following a historic two-gold medal haul at the 2024 Paris Olympics, adding another major title by capturing the vault gold at the 53rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Jakarta. He also earned a bronze medal in the floor exercise at the same meet.
The 25-year-old gymnast further demonstrated remarkable consistency on the continental stage, winning gold in the floor exercise and collecting three bronze medals at the Artistic Gymnastics Asian Championships in Jecheon, South Korea.
Eala, meanwhile, continued her ascent in international tennis at just 20 years old, becoming the first Filipino woman to enter the WTA top 50 rankings after reaching the semifinals of the Miami Open in March.
She also claimed her maiden WTA 125 title in Mexico and delivered the Philippines’ first Southeast Asian Games tennis gold in 26 years during the competition in Thailand.
Joining Yulo and Eala on the shortlist for the prestigious award are several standout Filipino athletes from other disciplines. Golfer Miguel Tabuena claimed victory at the International Series Philippines, the biggest golf event ever staged locally, overcoming a field that included world-renowned players Dustin Johnson and Patrick Reed to earn USD 360,000.
Billiards ace Chezka Centeno secured the World Pool Association Women’s 10-Ball championship after defeating fellow Filipina Rubilen Amit, while swimmer Kayla Sanchez made a sensational SEA Games debut by winning eight medals—three golds and five silvers—emerging as the most decorated Filipino athlete of the 33rd edition.
The PSA, the country’s oldest sports media organization, will confer the Athlete of the Year award during its annual awards ceremony at Diamond Hotel Manila on February 2. The event will also honor recipients of the President’s Award, Lifetime Achievement Award, Executive of the Year, National Sports Association of the Year, as well as special citations including the Tony Siddayao Award and the Milo Junior Athletes of the Year.
