Famous Filipino Sportspersons

Before assuming office as a senator of the Phillippines, Manny Pacquiao was already known as a globally renowned boxer. Known to his fans as PacMan, he is the only boxer to have won world championships from the 1990s to the 2020s. BoxRec named him the world’s seventh-active boxer in 2020.

Efren Reyes is a Filipino professional pool player who is regarded as the greatest player of all time. Nicknamed The Magician, Reyes is best known for his ability to display numerous trick shots. Efren Reyes has also won more than 100 international titles over the course of his illustrious career. Reyes is a WPA World Eight-ball and Nine-ball champion.

Hidilyn Diaz is a Filipino airwoman and weightlifter. She achieved national fame in 2020, when she became the first Filipino to win an Olympic gold for the Philippines. Hidilyn Diaz earned her first Olympic medal in 2016, when she won a silver medal in Rio de Janeiro. She has also won medals at the World Championships and Asian Championships.

Alex Eala is a Filipino professional tennis player best known for winning the US Open Junior title in 2022. Eala first achieved popularity in 2020, when she won the Australian Open Junior Doubles title. The following year, Alex Eala won the French Open Junior Doubles title. In 2021, she also won three bronze medals at the Southeast Asian Games. 

Nonito Donaire is a Filipino-American boxer who has held various world championship titles in several weight classes from featherweight to flyweight. The oldest boxer to earn a bantamweight world title, Donaire is also the first boxer in history to become three-time champion in bantamweight. Donaire is the sixth boxer to have held world championships in three successive decades.

Phil Younghusband is an English-born Filipino former professional football player who played as a striker and midfielder for the Philippines national team from 2006 to 2019. During his career, Younghusband also played for popular clubs like Chelsea and Davao Aguilas. Phil Younghusband is the recipient of three consecutive United Football League Cup Golden Boots.

Benjie Paras is a Filipino comedian, actor, and former professional basketball player. He is best known for his time with the Shell Turbo Chargers of the Philippine Basketball Association, where he played from 1989 to 2002. In 2013, Benjie Paras was inducted into the Philippine Basketball Association Hall of Fame. After retiring from basketball, Paras established himself as an actor.

Wesley So is a Filipino-born American chess player who achieved the prestigious grandmaster title in 2008. He is best known for winning a silver medal at the 2010 Asian Games. In 2011, Wesley So won a gold medal and a silver medal at the Southeast Asian Games. He is also a three-time U.S. Chess Champion and three-time Philippine Chess Champion.

Daniel Matsunaga is a Brazilian actor, model, host, professional football player, and businessman. Matsunaga is best known for his modeling and acting career. Apart from appearing in TV series and films, Daniel Matsunaga also competes in reality TV shows. As a footballer, Matsunaga has represented teams like Kaya, Pachanga Diliman Football Club, and Team Socceroo in the United Football League. 

Paulino Alcántara was a Filipino-born Spanish football player who played as a forward for the Catalonia national football team from 1915 and 1926 and for the Spain national team from 1921 to 1923. He also played for the Philippines national team in 1917. In 1917, Paulino Alcántara won a silver medal for the Philippines at the Far Eastern Championship Games.

James Yap is a Filipino basketball player who currently plays for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, a professional team competing in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Nicknamed Big Game James, James Yap won seven PBA championships for the Star Hotshots between 2004 and 2016 before being traded in 2016 to his current team.

Eduard Folayang is a Filipino wushu practitioner and mixed martial artist. He is best known for winning a bronze medal at the 2005 World Championships. He also went on to win a silver medal at the 2006 Asian Games. Eduard Folayang has also had success in ONE Championship; he has won two ONE Lightweight World Championship titles so far.

Born in the US to an Italian mother and a Filipino father, Brandon Vera, better known as The Truth, initially joined college on an athletic scholarship but dropped out to join the US Airforce soon. The black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has also appeared on shows such as Kamandag and Magpakailanman.

Pancho Villa was a Filipino boxer best remembered as the first Asian to earn the World Flyweight Championship title in 1923. Counted among the greatest Flyweight boxers of all time, Villa was never knocked out during his boxing career. In 1994, Pancho Villa was posthumously inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Japeth Aguilar is a Filipino basketball player who currently plays for the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, a professional team competing in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). A seven-time PBA champion, Japeth Aguilar has also played for other popular PBA teams like Burger King Whoppers, Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters, and GlobalPort Batang Pier.

Richard Gomez is a Filipino actor, director, television presenter, épée fencer, and politician. He is best known for his service as the Mayor of Ormoc from 2016 to 2022. He achieved popularity as a fencer in 2005, when he won a gold medal at the Southeast Asian Games. Gomez has also won many acting honors, including several Gawad Urian Awards.

John Riel Casimero is a Filipino boxer and YouTuber. Casimero has held world championship titles in three weight divisions; he has held the IBF junior-flyweight title, the IBF flyweight title, and the WBO bantamweight title. Also a social media celebrity, John Riel Casimero took part in the Battle of the YouTubers tournament in 2021.

Donnie Nietes is the longest-reigning Filipino boxing world champion. A quadruple champion, Nietes held the WBO mini-flyweight title, WBO junior-flyweight title, IBF flyweight title, and WBO junior-bantamweight title between 2007 and 2019. In 2015, Donnie Nietes was named Sportsman of the Year by the Philippine Sportswriters Association.

Jerwin Ancajas is a Filipino boxer who held the IBF junior-bantamweight title between 2016 and 2022. He has also held minor titles, such as the IBF Pan Pacific junior bantamweight title, WBO Asia Pacific Youth junior bantamweight title, and Philippines Luzon Professional Boxing Association bantamweight title.

Yuka Saso is a Philippine-born Japanese golfer. She won two gold medals for the Philippines at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia, becoming the first golfer to win gold medals for the Philippines in both women's team event and women's individual in the history of Asian Games golf competitions. In 2022, Yuka Saso started representing Japan.  

Jake Cuenca is a Filipino-American model and actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Jake in a film titled Mulat, which earned him several awards, including the Best Actor award at the 2014 International Film Festival Manhattan. Jake Cuenca is also known for his performance in a period drama television series titled Ikaw Lamang.

Arianne Caoili was a Filipino-Australian chess player who took part in seven Women's Chess Olympiads during her career. A multi-talented personality, Caoili was also a singer and financial consultant. She also served as an advisor to Armenian politician and Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan. Arianne Caoili died in a car crash at the age of 33.

Romero Duno is a Filipino boxer who became the WBA Asia lightweight champion in 2019 after defeating India's Kuldeep Dhanda. Romero Duno has also won other championship titles, such as the WBC Youth Intercontinental lightweight title, WBC–ABC super featherweight title, and WBO Youth super featherweight title.

Michael Christian Martinez is a Filipino figure skater. He achieved popularity when he became the first skater from a tropical country and from Southeast Asia to qualify for the Winter Olympics. At the 2014 Olympics, Martinez became the only sportsperson to represent the Philippines. Michael Christian Martinez is also known for winning a gold medal at the 2015 Asian Trophy.

Marc Pingris is a Filipino retired basketball player who is widely regarded as one of the best rebounders and defenders in the history of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Marc Pingris is included in the 40 Greatest Players list in PBA History.

Mark Magsayo is a Filipino boxer best known for winning the WBC featherweight title in 2022. As of 2022, he is ranked the third best featherweight in the world by the TBRB and BoxRec and the second best featherweight by The Ring. In 2017, Mark Magsayo appeared in a documentary film titled Magnifico: Lakas ng Kamao.

Doug Kramer is a Filipino retired basketball player who represented eight teams in the Philippine Basketball Association over the course of his career. A versatile player, Doug Kramer played as a center or power forward for popular teams like Barangay Ginebra Kings, Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, and GlobalPort Batang Pier.

Mark Caguioa is a Filipino basketball player best known for his association with the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel of PBA, where he played from 2001 to 2020. He has also played for the national team. In 2007, he helped his team win the bronze medal at the William Jones Cup. Caguioa is included in the 40 Greatest PBA Players list.

Jayson Castro is a Filipino basketball player who has been playing for the TNT Tropang Giga of PBA since 2008. Renowned for his speed, Castro also plays for the national team in important tournaments like the FIBA Asia Championship and FIBA Basketball World Cup. In 2007, Jayson Castro helped his team win the gold medal at the Southeast Asian Games.

Retired Filipino boxer Bobby Pacquiao, also known as The Sniper, for his boxing prowess, also has a significant basketball career, before he stepped into politics. Apart from being the councilor of General Santos, he has also represented the OFW Family Club in the Philippine House of Representatives.

Christian Standhardinger is a Filipino-German basketball player who currently plays for the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel of PBA. Over the course of his career, Standhardinger has also played for other popular teams like Ehingen Urspring, Hong Kong Eastern, and NorthPort Batang Pier. Christian Standhardinger has also played for the Philippine national team.

Chris Tiu is a Filipino retired basketball player who spent his entire career playing for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters of the PBA. In 2016, he helped his team win the Commissioner's Cup. Chris Tiu has also played for the Philippines national team in important tournaments like the Southeast Asian Games, where he won a gold medal in 2011.  

Maika Rivera is a Filipino model, professional tennis player, and actress. She is one of the few professional tennis players from the Philippines to have achieved success. Maika Rivera has also achieved immense popularity as an actress; she has played important roles in popular TV series like Wildflower, The Blood Sisters, and Sandugo.

Arwind Santos is a Filipino basketball player who currently plays for the NorthPort Batang Pier of PBA. He has also represented other  popular clubs like the Barako Bull Energy and San Miguel Beermen. Santos has also played for the Philippine national team. Since 2017, Arwind Santos has also been working as an assistant coach for the FEU Tamaraws.

Allan Caidic is a Filipino former basketball player who was part of the team that won the gold medal at the 1985 Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok. In the same year, Caidic also helped his national team win the gold medal at the FIBA Asia Cup. Nicknamed The Triggerman, Allan Caidic is widely regarded as the greatest shooter the Philippines has ever produced.

Mark Muñoz is a Filipino-American former mixed martial artist who competed in popular promotions like the Ultimate Fighting Championship and World Extreme Cagefighting. Mark Muñoz also ran his own gym and heads an anti-bullying campaign in the USA.

Retired Filipino boxer Rustico Torrecampo soared to fame after he became the first man to beat legendary Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao, or PacMan. A wrist fracture later ended his career, after which he became a street-food vendor. He was once wanted in a case involving the murder of a truck driver.

Stanley Pringle is a Filipino-American basketball player best known for winning the gold medal at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, where he represented the Philippines. A three-time PBA champion, Stanley Pringle currently plays for the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.

Angelo Kouame is an Ivorian-Filipino basketball player who started playing for the Philippine national team in June 2021 after obtaining Filipino citizenship earlier that year. Prior to making his debut for the Philippine national team, Angelo Kouame had a successful career with the Ateneo Blue Eagles.          

Tab Baldwin is an American-born New Zealand basketball coach. He is currently serving as the head coach for the Ateneo Blue Eagles. Tab Baldwin has also coached the New Zealand national team, helping them win the gold medal at the 2001 Oceania Championship. In 2010, he helped the Lebanon team win a gold medal at the FIBA Asia Stanković Cup.

Raymond Townsend is an American former basketball player who played as a point guard for popular National Basketball Association teams like the Indiana Pacers and the Golden State Warriors. In 1984, Raymond Townsend won the FIBA Intercontinental Cup.

Monsour del Rosario is a Filipino actor, producer, martial artist, and politician. He is best known for winning a bronze medal at the 1985 World Championships in Seoul. The following year, he won a bronze medal at the Asian Games. Monsour del Rosario has also appeared in popular films like Demonstone, When Eagles Strike, and The Hunt for Eagle One. 

Retired Filipino basketball player and coach Freddie Webb was an Olympian, too. Post-retirement, he became a prominent sportscaster and a TV and radio personality. He also appeared in several movies and later stepped into politics, becoming the councilor of Pasay City and a senator of the Philippines.

Dondon Hontiveros is a Filipino former basketball player best known for winning the silver medal at the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship. In the same year, he also won a silver medal at the William Jones Cup. Dondon Hontiveros is also an acclaimed politician. From 2021 to 2022, he served as the Vice Mayor of Cebu City.

Misagh Bahadoran is a Filipino football player who plays as a forward or midfielder for the Philippines national football team. In 2012 and 2013, Bahadoran helped his team win the Philippine Peace Cup. Misagh Bahadoran also plays in the Philippines Football League, where he is currently representing Maharlika Manila.

Luis Gabriel Moreno is a Filipino archer best known for winning a gold medal at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games, where he represented Mixed-NOCs. He also represented the Philippines at the 2017 Southeast Asian Games, where he won a bronze medal. In 2021, Luis Gabriel Moreno was honored by the De La Salle Alumni Association with a sports achievement award.