LAST week, we made our yearly Christmas wishes in sports.

We wished good luck to our Filipino athletes in the coming new year.

Also, we wished good days ahead to our friends in the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), Games and Amusements Board (GAB), Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and even Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines (JGFP).

We have a few more this week with the clock ticking down on 2023 and sports fans already looking forward to 2024.

— World champions EJ Obiena.(pole vault), Hidilyn Diaz (weightlifting), and Carlos Yulo (gymnastics).

A gold, silver or bronze medal in the coming Olympic Games in Paris is what every Filipino sports fans’ wish for these three great homegrown sports heroes in the coming year.

Of course, another gold medal would be a fitting crowning glory to the Philippines, which is celebrating its 100th year of participation in the Olympic Games.

In fact, the Filipinos have competed in every edition of the Olympics since their debut in the 1924 edition, except when they participated in the American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics.

Another medal — gold, silver or bronze — would also be a perfect addition to the growing list of achievements of the POC under President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.

— Gilas Pilipinas men’s basketball team.

Led by PBA Best Import Justine Brownlee and Ange Kouame, the Filipinos ended 61 years of disappointments by winning the 2023 Asian Games gold medal following a 70-60 victory against Jordan in Hangzhou, China last October

It’s the first basketball gold medal for the Philippines since the legendary Caloy Loyzaga won in Jakarta in 1962, the last of four straight gold medals for the country.

Before the feat, the Philippines had just one silver and two bronze medals to show.

But our wish for the coming new year is for Gilas Pilipinas and the hard-working men (and women) who kept the team together to continue their good showing and earn a coveted ticket to the Paris Olympics.

— Sarina Bolden and Philippine women’s football team.

Bolden, widely-regarded as Ms. Football, and her equally-talented teammates — bless their hearts — have provided the brightest moments in local football with their success in the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Sports fans would like to thank them for a job well done and wish them good luck in the year to come.

— Philippine Para Games athletes, led by chess champions Sander Severino, Jasper Rom and Henry Lopez and coach James Infiesto and swimmer Ernie Gawilan.

The year in sports in 2023 would also be remembered for the success of the Filipino Para Games heroes who brought home a total of eight gold medals in the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou and 19 gold medals in ASEAN Para Games n Cambodia.

In 2024 we wish for more good luck and blessings to these hard working individuals who kept the faith despite the challenges facing them.

— Chezka Centeno, Johann Chua and James Aranas (billiards).

Thanks to these three world-class champions, billiards is again enjoying tremendous success in the international scene. It will not come as a surprise to see the Magician, Efren “Bata” Reyes and Francisco “Django” Bustamenta and Rubilen Amit smiling a lot these days knowing the sport they love the most is noe in good hands.

— Meggie Ochoa, Annie Ramirez, Kaila Napolis and Aleia Aielle Aguilar (jiu-jitsu).

The Brazilian martial arts sports of jiu-jitsu delivered in big ways for a nation forever searching for new heroes.

Interestingly, the youngest of these new breed of heroes is Aleia Aielle, the five-year-old daughter of Alvin Aguilar, the “Father of Mixed Martial Arts” in the country, and jiu-jitsu queen Maybeline Masuda.

In 2024, let’s wish these world-beaters continue to brring moe honors to the country.

Happy New Year to all our People’s Tonight readers and friends.

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