Top 10 "Top 10s": Greatest Filipino Athletes (1971-Present)

     This is officially my 100th post and before I begin, I would like to thank all of you have seen my blog.  Whether you follow my posts regularly, you glance at it from time to time, or you visit so you can post spam on my comment box, thank you.  Let's get it on then.


Parameters:  Once again, all athletes with Filipino blood qualify for this list, provided their claim to fame and greatness after 1971.


10.  Mansueto Velasco

     After Anthony Villanueva won a silver medal in the 1964 Olympics, the Philippines experienced a silver medal drought, always falling short of Villanueva's effort.  The drought would end only in 1996, when a tiny flyweight by the name of "Onyok" Velasco captured only the Philippines' second Olympic silver medal, along with the hearts of a proud nation.  Velasco used his skill and quickness to rise through the ranks, but then lost a controversial (yet again) decision to Bulgaria's Daniel Petrov.  Aside from causing commentator Ron de los Santos to completely lose his professionalism (he started shouting, "Dinadaya tayo!" repeatedly during the telecast), the loss would shatter the country's gold medal dream.  Despite that, though, Velasco has earned his spot on this list.  



  9.  Allan Caidic

     One of Ron Jacobs' greatest contributions to Philippine sports was his young NCC national team, which featured what would become a host of talented and hall of fame-bound players.  The team's deadliest shooters is one of them.  Allan Caidic was a part of the only Philippine National Team which defeated a national team from the U.S. (which featured NBA stars Paul Pressey and Kenny Gattison).  This team also dominated the PBA as a guest team.  Caidic would later formally enter the PBA through the Gokongwei-owned Great Taste franchise and quickly turned them into winners.  His tremendous shooting ability was especially highlighted as he proceeded to smash local players' scoring records left and right.  In a game against the Alaska Milkmen, Caidic would hit 15 three point shots on the way to 68 points.  These numbers propelled him instantly into the record books.  Later on, he would smash his own records in a game against Ginebra San Miguel.  Caidic, would scorch the net with a jaw-dropping game of 17 (out of 34 attempts) triples en route to 79 points.  Both records remain standing today and they don't look like they will be broken for several more decades.  The most impressive thing about this feat?  He didn't play the fentire first quarter because he was distracted by the fact that his wife was about to give birth.  

  8.  Francis Casey Alcantara

     This Cagayan de Oro native was (is) not as highly-touted by the Phillippine Tennis Association's FIlipino-American recruits, which is quite a head scratcher, especially considering what he has done.  Just last year, the teenager combined with Taiwan's Cheng Peng Hsieh to win the Juniors Title of the Australian Open.  Alcantara thus became the first Filipino to win a Grand Slam title of any sort.  Meanwhile, he continues to be the third string player in the Philippines' Davis Cup team.  That's right.  Third string.  Still wondering why I think the tennis association needs a leadership overhaul?
  
  7.  Wesley So

     Ask non chess fans about who the greatest FIlipino chess player is and chances are Eugene Torre will be named.  After all, Torre became the first Asian to become Grand Master. The greatest, however, would have to Wesley So.  MAny are called chess prodigies, but So lived up to the hype.  At 14 years and barely 2 months, So became the youngest Filipino and (7th youngest in world history) to become a Grand Master.  He also became the youngest Filipino to break the 2600 ELO ranking and he achieved the Philippine record for the highest ELO ranking by earning 2627 last year.  He's also currently the youngest player to be ranked in the world's top 100 players.  Any questions about his dominance in Philippine chess would be immediately squashed once one discovers that So just won his thrid straight "Battle of the GMs" title days ago.


  6.  Willy Wang

     A quick check of the Olympic records will show that the Philippines has only won two silver medals and no golds.  A deeper look will show two gold medals, albeit in demonstration sports.  Demo sports, chosen by the hosts as a possible future Olympic sport, is usually dominated by the hosts.  That's why it's quite impressive that Willy Wang emerged as an Olympic Gold Medallist in Wushu, in the 2008 China Olympics.  Wang competed in the men's Taolu event.  Despite being in the land that created Wushu, Wang impressed everyone with his routine, scoring a 19.44, beating eventual silver medallist Peng Wei Chua of Taiwan.  This landmark victory was actually a validation as this was a most impressive follow up to Wang's World Championship victory the year before.
     
  5.  Arianne Cerdena


     The Philippines' actual first gold medal was in a sport close to my heart, tenpin bowling.  Named a demonstration sport by bowling-crazy Korea, the bowling competition featured representatives from 20 countries.  In the women's division, Arianne Cerdena displayed overall brilliance to emerge as the world's bowling queen.  After topping the elimination round robin, Cerdena met Japan's Atsuko Asai in the finals.  Cerdena actually lost the first game, 180-197, forcing a final rubber match.  Cerdena and coach Ernesto Lopa then decided to adjust lines and this proved to be fortuitous as Cerdena topple Asai, 249-211.  While Cerdena has numerous bowling achievements to be proud of, certainly none could match being the country's first Olympic gold medallist.


  4.  Ronnie Alcano

      Billiards, or Pool has always been a sport dominated by Filipinos.  Among the army of dominant FIlipino pool players, Ronnie Alcano is one of those that stand tall.  While being a great player for quite some time,  Alcano was relegated to the sidelines by the charismatic Efren Reyes and Francisco Bustamante.  In 2006, he burst onto the world stage in a big way.  Alcano, almost on the brink of elimination in the early rounds, clawed his way back into the fight, defeating world champions Reyes and Wu Chia Ching to reach the finals.  In the finals, Alcano defeated Ralf Souquet to become the third FIlipino to win the World 9 Ball Championship.  In 2007, Alcano continued his superb play, winning the World 8 Ball Championship over another Filipino great Dennis Orcollo, thereby becoming the only man to simultaneously hold both the 9 ball and 8 ball world championships at the same time.
  
  3.  Efren Reyes

     Very few athletes come into a tournament to compete and then have their toughest competitors ask for their autograph during or after their match.  I know of only three people and two of them are FIlipinos.  The first one is, "The Magician," Efren Reyes.  First earning his keep as an unknown in the U.S. Reyes' greatness could no longer keep him an anonymous hustler, giving way to a most aewsome professional career.  To date, Reyes has won 82 international tournaments, including 13 WORLD titles.  His greatness, however, is not measured in his intimidating list of championships, but in his unparalleled imagination and ability to control the billiard balls with his cue.  Need evidence?  Check out this video as he shoots the greatest shot in pool history (1:30 mark)  





  2.  Manny Pacquiao

     What has not been said about the greatest Filipino boxer of all time?  Winning seven world championships in seven weight divisions, Pacquiao has recently been honored as the world's "Boxer of the Decade."  His tremendous speed, quickness, athleticism and skill is a tribute to his unmatched work ethic and he has reaped tremendous rewards, demolishing big name fighters like Miguel Cotto, Oscar de la Hoya and Erik Morales.  While some say that a match against Floyd Mayweather must be made for Pacquiao to cement his legacy, I say that is a cart of BS.  Manny has done more than enough to prove he belongs to world history's greatest fighters.


  1.  Rafael Nepomuceno

     Even now, when the Philippines competes in bowling tournaments abroad, people ask only one question, "Where is Paeng?"  While that is a sad picture of how little people know of the Philippine National Bowling Team, it is also a testament to Nepomuceno's greatness.  WInner of a total of 120 bowling titles, Nepomuceno also has an enviable six world titles to his name.  He also continues to have the record of being the youngest man to win a World Cup (19 years old).  His true greatness, however, is not the number of titles but the dates of when he won them.  Paeng's four World Cup titles is unmatched but the most impressive thing about that is that he won the four in three different decades (1976 [video below], 1980, 1992, 1996).  That just shows Paeng's consistency through the years, benefitted by his active and healthy lifestyle.  It also shows his tremendous heart as he won two of his world titles after he had reconstructive surgery on his bowling wrist, which he can no longer bend properly.  My aching back?  I'll stop complaining...





photos courtesy of gmwesleyso.com, blog.ademagnaye.com, wikipedia, wikipilinas.org, sportsdigest.net.ph, mariangabor.blogspot.com, bowlingcity.ru