DAVAO athletes made 2025 a year of breakthroughs, resilience, and history-making wins — from Southeast Asian Games standouts to rising youth champions who carried the region’s spirit onto national and international stages. Their stories reflected hard work, community support, and long-nurtured dreams finally realized.
Dabawenyos shine at the 33rd SEA Games
Davao’s former city standouts helped power the Philippines’ sixth-place campaign at the SEA Games in Thailand, where the country finished with 50 golds, 72 silvers, and 154 bronzes.
Multi-martial arts athlete Chino Sy Tancontian delivered two breakthrough judo golds, in the men’s -100kg division and mixed team, in his SEA Games debut in the sport.
“I had been praying for this for several months,” he said, dedicating the wins to the Lord, the Philippines, and his family.
Baseball rookie James Vincent Nisnisan, 20, of Baguio District, helped the national team clinch its third straight baseball crown with a 5-3 finals win over Thailand.
“I still can’t believe I’m able to hold a medal like this,” he said. “It used to be just a dream.”
U.S.-based footballer Mary Louise “Mallie” Ramirez, granddaughter of former Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman William “Butch” Ramirez, also struck gold as part of the Philippine women’s football team that stunned Vietnam in a historic championship upset. "Salamat sa tanan sa way undang na suporta ug pangga nako. Dakong garbo nako nga moduwa para sa bandera! akong medalya para sa Pamilya ug Pilipinas (Thank you to everyone for your constant support and love. It is a great honor for me to compete for our flag. This medal is for my family and for the Philippines)," Mallie wrote on her Instagram.
Former RMC runner Arlan Arbois Jr. added a marathon silver, while fellow Dabawenyos contributed podium finishes: Two-time Olympic medalist Nesthy Petecio (women’s boxing, one bronze), Marc Alexander Lim – two bronzes (jiu-jitsu), Sonny Wagdos – bronze (5,000m), Ceseil Domenios – bronze (petanque doubles), Shaira Hope Rivera – bronze (women’s team tennis), and Mary Grace “Shang” Berte – bronze (women’s indoor handball)
Sy Tancontian siblings deliver in global combat sports
Beyond the SEA Games, the siblings built strong international resumes.
Sydney Sy Tancontian, a gold medalist at the USA Sambo International and Oceania Sambo Championships, also won bronzes in the World Sambo Cup and Grand Prix de Sambo de Paris.
Chino captured golds at the USA Sambo International and the All Japan Sambo Championships before claiming silver in the -100kg division at the Oceania Judo Open in Australia.
Gold at last — Davraa Eagles make Palarong Pambansa history
After five painful runner-up finishes, the Davao Eagles finally broke through.
They won their first-ever secondary boys’ basketball gold, defeating Western Visayas, 67–51, at the Ilocos Norte Centennial Arena on May 30, a watershed moment for Davraa basketball.
Pilipinas-Davao rules Asean Schools Games
Team Pilipinas-Davao, bannered mostly by Palarong Pambansa secondary boys basketball gold medal performers from AdDU, swept all five games and defeated Malaysia, 90–86, to win the Asean Schools Games basketball championship in Brunei, showcasing depth, discipline, and teamwork.
Davao City climbs to third overall in Batang Pinoy
From fourth last year, Davao City improved to third place overall in General Santos City in the Batang Pinoy 2025 with 53 golds, 53 silvers, and 68 bronzes. Archery ace Abigail Jane Lim powered the campaign with six golds, while gymnast Harvey Nuique added four.
Davraa retains fourth in Palarong Pambansa
Davraa, powered by Davao City athletes, kept its fourth-place finish in Ilocos Norte but improved to 43 golds, 28 silvers, and
36 bronzes. Dancesport partners Bhenz Rudolf Owen Semilla and Francheska Dezzly Darvin swept all six golds in the secondary standard category in their farewell Palaro stint. Semilla later received a Rising Stars Award at the Siklab Youth Sports Awards.
Sonny Wagdos extends dominance abroad
Former Davao standout Sonny Wagdos defended his 10K crown at the Asics META: Time: Trials Thailand, ruled the Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon 10K men’s open, and earned two 5,000m silvers — in Singapore and at the ICTSI Philippine Athletics Championships.
Chess master Rowelyn Joy Acedo
Chess master Rowelyn Joy Acedo honored overseas
Dabawenya chess master Rowelyn Joy Segovia Acedo was named one of the 10 Outstanding Overseas Filipinos in the UAE during Gawad Pinoy 2025, a story of excellence and resilience highlighted on National Heroes’ Day.
Youth participation surges across grassroots sports
Running communities continued to grow with near-weekly race events, more children entered gymnastics programs, and new pickleball courts rose across the city as the sport gained traction among both youth and adults.
Across arenas, tracks, courts, and communities, 2025 affirmed what Davao’s sports ecosystem has quietly built for years — talent honed locally, driven by perseverance, faith, and support systems that stay rooted in home.
For Davao’s athletes, the year was more than a medal count. It was proof that dreams nurtured here can, and do, rise on the biggest stages. MLSA