Twenty-six years is more than just a generation. In this fast-paced world of sports journalism, it represents countless midnight deadlines, thousands of phone calls to news sources, and a lot of heart-stopping buzzer-beaters, overtimes and extended five sets.

As DAILY TRIBUNE celebrates its 26th anniversary on Tuesday, we look back at our own timeline alongside 26 of the most monumental, earthshaking sports stories that have both defined Filipino pride and shocked the local landscape since its inception at the turn of the millennium.

From the blood-stained canvas of Las Vegas to the roaring rafters of Smart Araneta Coliseum, and Mall of Asia Arena all the way to the grandest Olympic podiums and the quiet corridor of power of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, here are 26 sports stories that defined the triumphs, setbacks and controversies of Filipino athletes in the 26 years that DAILY TRIBUNE tirelessly chronicled without fear or favor.

1. History in Sydney (2000)

The DAILY TRIBUNE was barely months old when powerlifter Adeline Dumapong pulled off a surprise and secured the bronze medal in the women’s 82.5 kg powerlifting category in the 2000 Sydney Paralympics.

Her triumph marked the first-ever Paralympic medal won by a Filipino athlete, sparking widespread national pride and heavily influencing local advocacy for disabled sports programs.

Recently, Dumapong’s feat was immortalized when she was enshrined in the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame.

2. Bloody battle (2004)

The explosive opening chapter of a legendary four-fight saga. Manny Pacquiao dropped the heavy-hitting Juan Manuel Marquez three times in the first round, only for the Mexican supremo to claw his way back for a historic draw in a bloody battle that forever changed the professional boxing landscape.

3. Basketball Cold War (2005)

A bitter leadership feud between the Basketball Association of the Philippines and the top executives of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), Philippine Basketball League, University Athletic Association of the Philippines, and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) led to the creation of a super body that aims to replace the embattled federation. The struggled had led to a devastating FIBA suspension, freezing the national team from international play until the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) was born to restore order.

4. Victory in Manila (2005)

Hosting the 23rd Southeast Asian Games on home soil, the Philippines captured the overall championship for the first time in history with an explosive 112 gold medals, uniting the archipelago under the banner of sports.

5. Roaring Lions (2006)

After a long 28-year title drought, San Beda University reclaimed the NCAA men’s basketball crown behind the “Band of Brothers” era with Nigerian Sam Ekwe as main character, sparking a modern collegiate dynasty that would redefine the country’s oldest league.

6. Firing blanks (2006)

In a controversy that shook local collegiate sports to its foundation, De La Salle University was meted a swift one-year suspension from the UAAP for unwittingly fielding two ineligible players, setting a massive precedent in sports governance and raised a lot of questions about the win-at-all-cost mentality in collegiate sports.

7. The Living Legend (2010)

By systematically dismantling the much larger, much stronger Antonio Margarito of Mexico in Texas, Pacquiao secured the World Boxing Council (WBC) super welterweight title, achieving an untouchable professional record across eight distinct weight classes that installed him as one of the greatest boxers of his generation.

8. Miracle in Hanoi (2010)

A watershed moment for Philippine football, the unheralded Philippine men’s national football team shocked defending champion Vietnam, 2-0, in the AFF Suzuki Cup, single-handedly turning what used to be a dormant sport into an international sensation.

9. Rise of ‘The Flash’ (2010)

Nonito Donaire Jr. brutally knocked out Fernando Montiel to claim the WBC and World Boxing Organization bantamweight titles, cementing his status as “The Filipino Flash” and a pound-for-pound elite in international boxing.

10. Stars descend in Manila (2011)

At the height of the National Basketball Association (NBA) lockout, superstars like Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, and Derrick Rose flew to Manila to play against Gilas Pilipinas and a PBA All-Star selection in what remains the most star-studded basketball exhibition on local soil.

11. Breaking the curse (2013)

Inside a deafening, emotional Mall of Asia Arena, Jimmy Alapag knocked down a nail-biting, deep three-pointer as Gilas Pilipinas defeated South Korea, 89-76, in the FIBA Asia Men’s Championship semifinals to book a ticket to the World Cup for the first time in nearly four decades and a victory that moved this basketball-loving nation to tears.

12. Grand slam completed (2014)

Under the masterful guidance of Tim Cone, the San Mig Super Coffee Mixers completed a historic PBA grand slam, making it the first franchise to achieve the feat since 1996 and solidifying the status of James Yap, Marc Pingris, and PJ Simon as immortal icons of Philippine basketball.

13. Hail Hidilyn! (2016)

With a gritty, tactical performance in Rio de Janeiro, Zamboanga’s weightlifting pride, Hidilyn Diaz, claimed a historic silver medal, ending the Philippines’ agonizing 20-year Olympic medal drought.

14. It’s a ‘Beeracle!’ (2016)

The San Miguel Beermen did the impossible in the best-of-seven PBA Philippine Cup finals series, overcoming an insurmountable 0-3 deficit against Alaska to pull off the greatest comeback in basketball history.

15. Flying arrows (2018)

Under the legendary coach Ramil de Jesus, the La Salle Lady Spikers secured their third consecutive UAAP volleyball championship, igniting collegiate volleyball into one of the most-watched sporting spectacles in the country.

16. Tug of war for power (2018)

A highly volatile political battle in the Philippine Olympic Committee saw boxing president Ricky Vargas challenge the long-standing presidency of Jose “Peping” Cojuangco, triggering a court-ordered election that reshaped national sports leadership.

17. Controversial SEA Games (2019)

The country hosted the 30th Southeast Asian Games, but controversy overshadowed the glorious performance of Filipino athletes. From an overpriced cauldron and performances to shabby treatment to local and foreign delegates, DAILY TRIBUNE bravely exposed the organizers’ lapses during what was supposed to be the biggest and grandest sports event in the region.

18. Unmasking the Phisgoc (2020)

The country’s hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games in 2019 had left a trail of controversy and unliquidated expenses from its main organizers, the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee. DAILY TRIBUNE’s investigative reports, exposes, and critical commentaries about the organizing body had led to the filing of cyber libel charges — all of which were dismissed later on.

19. Gold, finally! (2021)

In Tokyo, Diaz did what no Filipino had ever accomplished. Posting a total lift of 127-kilogram in the clean and jerk, she captured the country’s first-ever Olympic gold medal to erase 97 years of Olympic frustration in one magical performance.

20. The great Tokyo haul (2021)

Boxers Nesthy Petecio (silver), Carlo Paalam (silver) and Eumir Marcial (bronze) combined for a historic multi-medal performance in the ring, making the Tokyo Games a legendary showcase of the Filipinos sporting prowess.

21. Obiena vs PATAFA (2021)

An ugly, public funding dispute between superstar pole vaulter EJ Obiena and his national sports association, the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association, led to a grueling senate inquiry and mediation before Obiena was fully cleared to compete and dominate globally.

22. High-flying Filipinas (2023)

Making their historic FIFA Women’s World Cup debut, the Philippine women’s national football team shocked host nation New Zealand with a historic 1-0 victory behind Sarina Bolden’s immortal header.

23. Best cagers in Asia (2023)

Behind the masterful, last-minute coaching of Tim Cone and the clutch, otherworldly heroics of naturalized player Justin Brownlee, Gilas Pilipinas captured the Asian Games men’s basketball gold medal in Hangzhou for the first time in 62 long years.

24. Paris delight (2024)

In a span of 24 breathtaking hours, Carlos Yulo captured two Olympic gold medals in floor exercise and vault gymnastics events in the Paris Olympics, sparking the greatest sporting celebration the country has ever witnessed.

25. Releasing ‘The Kraken’ (2026)

June Mar Fajardo extended his record-shattering legacy in the PBA, collecting an unimaginable ninth Most Valuable Player award, proving that “The Kraken” remains the ultimate, towering standard of local basketball excellence.

26. Blue Eagles down (2026)

Philippine sports was shaken to its very foundation when a pair of Ateneo de Manila University cagers in Rene Clert Baterbonia and Divine Adili perished in a tragic drowning incident during a team-building activity in Aurora. The tragedy moved Filipinos to tears and led to the resignations of Ateneo’s prolific coach, Tab Baldwin, and team manager, Epok Quimpo.

Indeed, for 26 years, the DAILY TRIBUNE sports section has kept its eyes wide open in the biggest, most controversial stories. It has been sitting on the press box, documenting the sweat, the agony, the systemic breakdowns, and the ultimate triumphs of Filipino athletes.

As its celebrates its 26th anniversary, our promise remains anchored in print and digital excellence: to tell the stories of the Filipino athletes with the bold, fearless, and unbiased perspective that our readers deserve.

Here is to the next 26 years of history in the making.