Who will be Athlete of the Year?

The end of 2025 is fast approaching and there's still no clarity as to who deserves to be the country’s Athlete of the Year. The top candidates are tennis’ Alex Eala, gymnastics’ Carlos Yulo, pole vault’s EJ Obiena, golf’s Miguel Tabuena, world boxing champions Melvin Jerusalem and Pedro Taduran, cue artists Carlo Biado, Jonas Magpantay and Chezka Centeno and jiu jitsu’s Annie Ramirez and Kimberly Custodio.

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Eala, 20, is the first and only Philippine tennis player, male or female, to crack the world’s top 50 ranking and did it with a flourish this year. Last March, Eala went all the way to the Miami Open semifinals, becoming the only wildcard ever to oust three major champions in straight sets at a single WTA event and later, pocketed her first WTA 135 title in Guadalajara. With her charisma, courage and charm, Eala has mesmerized the tennis world. She’s the new darling of the circuit, bringing honor to her country as a Pied Pier enticing fans to follow her journey wherever the road takes her.