Outstanding male, female athletes

Off the bat, it’s difficult to pick who was the most outstanding Philippine athlete, male or female, last year because there’s just too many to choose from. Let’s go through a process of elimination by listing the top males and top females separately. A key consideration is their impact on Philippine sports, how they made a difference in raising the bar of excellence with a performance that’s inspiring and mesmerizing.

The top male athletes are:

Carlos Yulo. The two-time Olympic gold medalist is the symbol of global sports supremacy. He won the gold in vault at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Jakarta last October and before that, took the gold in floor exercise at the Asian Championships in Jecheon. Yulo, 25, would’ve dominated the SEA Games last December but opted to withdraw for other aspiring Filipino gymnasts to showcase their skills. His selfless decision led the way for Ivan Cruz to pocket the gold in vault in Bangkok.

June Mar Fajardo. There’s no doubt he’s one of the greatest Filipino basketball players ever. The Kraken, 36, is the only nine-time PBA MVP and has been the anchor of the national team for over a decade. If basketball is a religion in the country, JMF stands out as an icon that millions recognize for his enduring legacy.

EJ Obiena. Once the World No. 2 pole vaulter, he dropped to No. 11 after struggling with health issues and never clearing beyond 5.80m last year. However, Obiena remained king in Asia and Southeast Asia, winning a third Asian Athletics Championships gold in Gumi and a fourth SEA Games gold in Bangkok. EJ, 30, also topped competitions in Poland, France, Taiwan, Vermosa and the Atletang Auala World Pole Vault Challenge. Obiena hopes to jump back into the top 10 this year, injury-free.

Carlo Biado. The Black Tiger from Rosario, La Union, clinched his second WPA World Nine-Ball title in Jeddah last July. Biado, 42, has collected a gold at the World Games and three golds at the SEA Games aside from several other pool conquests in a storied career. To top it all, he was inducted into the Billard Congress of America Hall of Fame last year.

Melvin Jerusalem. The fighter called El Gringo won the WBC minimumweight crown in Nagoya in May 2024 and has since repulsed three challengers, two last year. Jerusalem, 31, was once the WBO 105-pound king so it’s his second turn on the throne. His record is 25-3, with 12 KOs.

Pedro Taduran. The Albay southpaw is on a repeat reign as IBF minimumweight champion. He took his second IBF title in July 2024 and turned back two challengers last year. Taduran is now training in Las Vegas and has called out WBO/WBA titlist Oscar Collazo of Puerto Rico for a unification showdown. His record is 19-4-1, with 13 KOs.

In Sunday’s column, we’ll list the top female athletes of 2025.