Taduran is PSA's top achiever in May

IBF minimumweight kingpin Pedro Taduran delivered power punches in his successful title defense in Osaka, Japan to highlight a smashing campaign for Philippine bets in May.Taduran took care of business as he beat via split decision Ginjiro Shigeoka, the same Japanese dynamo he stopped and wrested the crown from in July 2024.The 28-year-old southpaw (18-4-1, 13 KOs) kept his stature as one of only two Filipino world champions - the other being WBC counterpart Melvin Jerusalem - as he emerged victorious from this rugged rematch that led to Shigeoka sustaining an acute subdural hematoma.His gutsy performance against a tough rival on hostile ground earned for Taduran the honor as the Philippine Sportswriters Association’s top achiever for the fifth month of 2025.And the pride of Libon, Albay had good company in flying the country’s flag.World No. 4 pole vaulter EJ Obiena scored a three-peat in the Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea, clearing 5.77 meters in winning his jump-off against Chinese Bokai Huang.Annie Ramirez crowned herself two-time Asian Jiu-Jitsu champion in Amman, Jordan as she dominated over Kazakh Galina Duvanova in their duel for the women’s -57kg mint. Future Hidilyn Diazes made their presence felt and collected 10 gold, three silver and three bronze medals in the IWF World Youth and Junior Championships in Lima, Peru.Jhodie Peralta scooped up the snatch, clean and jerk and total gold medals in the Women's Youth 55 kg. class to lead the charge. Albert Ian Delos Santos (Men’s Junior 67kg), Jay R Colonia (Men’s Youth 49kg) and Alexsandra Diaz (Women’s Youth 45kg) topped two events each and Althea Bacaro ruled the snatch in the women’s Youth 40kg play.The Gilas Pilipinas Youth Under-16 team reigned supreme in the FIBA U16 Asia Cup SEABA Qualifiers in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. Coached by LA Tenorio and led by tournament MVP Gab delos Reyes, the Gilas youngsters posted a six-game sweep of the competition capped by a 70-40 rout of Indonesia in the finale.Tennis ace Alex Eala achieved a career milestone as she climbed to a new high 69th in the world rankings and made her debut in a Grand Slam main draw at the French Open.Though she took an early exit in the women’s singles on a 6-0, 2-6, 6-3 loss to Colombia's Emiliana Arango, Eala posted a historic win in the doubles as she and Mexican partner Renata Zarazua defeated British Emily Appleton and Spaniard Yvonne Cavalle-Reimers, 7-5, 6-4, before falling to Serbian Olga Danilovic and Russian Anastasia Potapova, 6-1, 6-3.It was also momentous for mountaineers Ric Rabe, Jeno Panganiban and Miguel Mapalad as they scaled new heights and joined the elite club of Filipinos to reach the summit of Mount Everest.