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A little holiday break goes a long way for these Filipino athletes.
Whether it’s a quick getaway to a dream destination, or spending some quality time with family, athletes have always used the holiday season to unwind. Coming off a year-long set of competitions and daily training sessions, who wouldn’t want to get some me-time, right?
As another new year begins to take shape, here is how some of our Filipino athletes used the holidays to celebrate their hard-earned wins.
Alex Eala
To cap off a career year, Philippine tennis ace Alex Eala squeezed in some family time for the holidays. As seen on Instagram, Alex was able to catch up with her siblings and loved ones, who even got the chance to pose with her medals from the Southeast Asian Games: a gold in women’s singles and a bronze in mixed doubles.
It didn’t take long for Alex to return to the competition, as she participated in the MGM Macau Tennis Masters shortly before the New Year, and formally opening her 2026 season at the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand.
Bella Belen
Bella Belen spent much of her holidays in the United States, including a trip to San Francisco, and several cities across Florida, such as Clearwater and Daytona Beach. Also part of Bella’s itinerary was a visit to the Universal Studios in Orlando.
The volleyball star is coming off a memorable year, exiting the UAAP as a champion, before being selected first-overall by the Capital1 Solar Spikers in the PVL Rookie Draft. Bella then ended 2025 with her debut in the Southeast Asian Games as part of Alas Pilipinas.
Carlos Yulo
Similar to last year, Carlos Yulo and his partner welcomed Christmas and New Year in Seoul, South Korea, with his longtime partner Chloe San Jose.
A year after his double Olympic golds in Paris, Carlos bagged the gold for vault during the 2025 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships last October. In June, the star gymnast also took home his fourth-straight gold for floor exercise at the Artistic Gymnastics Asian Championships.
Harold Alarcon and Roma Mae Doromal
Singapore was the destination of choice for Harold Alarcon and Roma Mae Doromal, where they visited must-see tourist spots, including the country’s iconic Chinatown district.
This vacation follows Harold’s farewell from the University of the Philippines, and Roma’s first full year with Capital1. Harold ended his UP career with a silver medal in UAAP Season 88, while Roma made her second PVL playoff appearance with the Solar Spikers in the Reinforced Conference.
Kianna Dy
Kianna Dy has always loved traveling, and it was no different for the 2025 holiday season. For this year, the resurgent volleyball star spent a good chunk of her break in Hokkaido, Japan, spending quality time with family and her partner-slash-basketball star Dwight Ramos.
Evan Nelle and Camille Clarin
PBA guard Evan Nelle and former NU star Camille Clarin are enjoying an extended holiday break in Canada, and even caught a recent NBA game between the Toronto Raptors and Atlanta Hawks at the Scotiabank Arena in downtown Toronto.
After another productive 2025 for Philippine sports, may our sporting heroes continue to achieve more as they enter the new year refreshed and recharged.
Banner images from Kianna Dy on Instagram.