Tennis standout Alex Eala and Olympic gymnast Carlos Yulo will share the Athlete of the Year title at the Philippine Sportswriters Association Awards on February 16 at the Diamond Hotel.
This selection marks the first time in 22 years that the country’s premier sports media organization has named co-winners for its top honor, repeating a rare occurrence last seen in 2004 when the award was shared by Manny Pacquiao and Jennifer Rosales.
Eala, a graduate of the Rafa Nadal Academy, recently became the first Filipina to break into the WTA top 50 with a career-high world ranking of number 49.
She joins an esteemed circle of previous winners that includes sports legends such as Efren Reyes and Paeng Nepomuceno.
Speaking before her departure for the United Arab Emirates to compete in the WTA 500 Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open, the 20-year-old expressed deep gratitude for being recognized alongside Yulo, whose double-gold performance in the Paris Olympics she described as historic.
The tennis star enters her next international campaign after reaching the quarterfinals of the first WTA 125 Philippine Women’s Open, where she was eliminated by Camila Osorio of Colombia.
Despite the loss, Eala noted that hosting a professional women’s tournament in the Philippines serves as a critical stepping stone for local athletics.
She emphasized the need for more professional events to support the development of Filipino athletes, describing the country’s passion for sports as a foundation for building future champions.
While Eala focuses on her upcoming main draw wild card appearance in Abu Dhabi, the PSA continues to finalize its list of awardees for the annual ceremony.
The event serves as the official recognition of the most significant sporting achievements of the past year, highlighted by the historic intersection of Yulo’s gymnastics dominance and Eala’s unprecedented rise in the world tennis rankings.