2020 vision: Sporting events to watch out for next year

MANILA, Philippines — The decade may be coming to an end, but Filipino sports action is right around the corner in 2020.

As early as January 7, Philippine basketball returns with the start of the best-of-seven finals series of the PBA Governor's Cup between Barangay Ginebra and the Meralco Bolts.

Both squads will clash for the right to claim the last conference title for the league's 44th season.

A few weeks after, the PBA will open their 45th season with the Commissioner's Cup.

Mixed martial arts promotion ONE Championship will also return to Manila on January 31 with Team Lakay fighters Eduard Folayang, Joshua Pacio and Danny Kingad seeing action.

Collegiate volleyball will also be making its way back to the limelight with both the UAAP and NCAA tournaments returning in early 2020.

In March, the Philippines will play host to the ASEAN Para games -- the Southeast Asian Games counterpart for differently abled athletes.

The Paragames were supposed to be held in January but have been pushed to a later date to improve preparations.

Also coming in March is a home game for the Philippine Azkals against Guam at the newly renovated Rizal Memorial Stadium for the joint 2023 AFC Suzuki Cup and 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

The annual Palarong Pambansa will also be held during the summer in Marikina City after original hosts Mindoro begged off.

Come July, all eyes will be on the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics where at least two Filipinos, Carlos Yulo and EJ Obiena, will attempt to win a medal in sports' biggest stage.

Hidilyn Diaz, who has yet to officially qualify for the quadricentennial meet, will also be looking to cop the country's first ever gold medal in the Olympics.

In August, the country will be hosting the AFF Women's Championship -- another major regional sports meet.

Come September, another edition of UAAP basketball will kick off that will surely bring entertainment to the hardcourt.

Filipino sports fans will hardly miss the past decade with the new one ushering in a lot more sporting action in 2020.