Manny Pacquiao ended 2008 on a high note, pounding boxing legend Oscar De la Hoya to submission in what turned out to be the upset of the century.
Pacquiao, arguably the greatest Filipino athlete, won two other high-profile bouts before taking on the Golden Boy in Las Vegas.
His three victories placed the Philippines on the world map and helped forget the failure of Filipino athletes to bring home a medal in the Beijing Olympics.
Pacquiao was not the only one who shone. There were a few others who excelled in their respective sports, but none electrified the nation than the former pandesal vendor from General Santos City.
Hereunder is the list of the Top 10 Sports Stories of the year in order of significance.
1. Pacquiao?s trilogy of victories.
Manny Pacquiao hammered a controversial split decision over Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez last March to win the World Boxing Council (WBC) super featherweight title. He added the lightweight crown to his collection by battering David Diaz, another Mexican last June.
When HBO broadcaster Larry Merchant broached a Dela Hoya-Pacquiao fight, nobody took him seriously.
But the fight took place just the same on Dec. 6 in Las Vegas and Pacquiao, moving up two classes, did the unthinkable, reduce the bigger Dela Hoya to size in a lopsided bout.
His eight-round stoppage of Dela Hoya not only made him million richer, but confirmed his status as the world?s best pound-for-pound boxer.
As Dela Hoya sat still on his stool, Pacquiao raised his arms in triumph, sparking wild celebrations back home.
2. A forgettable Beijing Olympics
Fifteen men and women went to Beijing in search for the country?s first gold medal in the Olympics last August.
Nobody came close. In fact, nobody went beyond the first hurdle.
Trap shooter Eric Ang ended up tied for last spot in the 35-man competition.
Archer Mark Javier lost in the first round.
Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, being groomed for the 2012 London Games, was too young and raw to create a ripple.
The swimmers broke several national records, but nobody advanced into the next round in the face of world-class competition.
JB Walsh broke his own record in the 200m butterfly, a feat duplicated by Miguel Molina, Daniel Oakley and Christel Simms in their respective events.
Boxing and taekwondo, the only sports where Filipinos have the realistic chance of winning an Olympic gold, bombed out.
Harry Ta?amor, the country?s most accomplished amateur boxer, was beaten by an obscure fighter from Ghana in the first round.
It was a disappointment matched only by the country?s failure to send more boxers in the Olympics.
Ta?amor would later redeem himself before the year ended when he won the World Cup, the first Filipino to do so.
Taekwondo was also a failure following the first round exit of Antoinette Rivero and Tshomlee Go.
Not even the triumph of Willy Wang in a special wushu tournament that coincided with the Olympics could soften the impact of the debacle.
The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) spent P30 million to prepare the Olympic athletes.
3. World Cup surprise from lady golfers
Golfers Jennifer Rosales and Dorothy Delasin started the year right for Philippine sports.
The two produced a scintillating performance to win the fourth edition of the Women?s World Cup in South Africa in early January, barely a month after the Philippines fared badly in the Thailand SEA Games.
Delasin and Rosales turned in a seven-under-par 65 in the final round to beat Korea?s Ji-Yai-Shin and Eun-Hee Ji by two shots.
Korea, Japan and Taiwan tie for third place with France and Canada finishing fourth and fifth, respectively.
The victory came unexpected since the Filipino tandem struggled in the previous season with Rosales battling an assortment of injuries.
Rosales and Delasin shared the 0,000.
Despite the early success, Rosales and Delasin continued to grope for form in the LPGA Tour, ending the year without a victory.
4. Cojuangco keeps POC post
Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco earned a fresh four-year mandate after edging shooting chief Art Macapagal in one of the closely-fought contests.
Cojuangco, who assumed the post via acclamation four years ago, secured 21 of 40 votes, enough to keep his post.
After months of intense campaign that saw both camps throwing dirt at each other, Cojuangco managed to hold off Macapagal, half-brother of President Macapagal-Arroyo, and become only the fifth person to head the POC for more than one term.
The last POC president to get reelected was the late Surigao strongman Jose Sering who served from 1985 to 1992.
Macapagal, who campaigned on a platform of change, accepted his defeat graciously and called on the NSAs to unite behind Cojuangco.
5. The Ateneo Blue Eagles soar high
The year saw the return of the Ateneo Blue Eagles to the top of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).
With chief backer Manny V. Pangilinan throwing millions for their training here and abroad, the Eagles won all but one match, including a sweep of rival La Salle.
The Eagles, who topped the eliminations with a 13-1 win-loss record, ousted University of the East in the Final Four before sweeping the Archers in their best-of-three title series.
The victory earned Norman Black his first collegiate crown after collecting nine PBA titles with San Miguel Beer. It also handed Ateneo?s Rabeh Al-Hussaini the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
The Eagles also won the University Games in Dumaguete before settling for second behind La Salle in the Philippine Collegiate Championship League in November.
6. Donaire retains world title
International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr. retained his championship by stopping Moruti Mthalane of South Africa in the sixth round last November at the Mandalay Events Center in Las Vegas.
Overshadowed by Pacquiao?s popularity, Donaire showed that he has the skills to reach full stardom, pummeling his rival into submission. He opened a cut to Mthalane?s eye before the fight was stopped in 1:31 of the sixth round.
It was Donaire?s fourth straight victory by knockout in a two-year span, prompting promoter Bob Arum to line him up against a tough Mexican fighter next year either in Macau or Manila.
Donaire improved to 20-1 with 13 knockouts.
7. Que?s star finally shines
Angelo Que gave Philippine golf a big shot in the arm by winning the home Open against an international field at Wack Wack Golf and Country Club.
Que set up the win with a brilliant 66 in the third round and held his nerves in the final round to post a one-shot victory against Australian Gavin Flint.
The former amateur star wound up with a 73 for a four-day total of 283.
His last major success in the Asian Tour was in 2004 when he topped the Vietnam Masters tournament.
Before winning the RP Open, Que won a playoff against Japanese Tomohiro Kondo in the International Final Qualifying in Asian in Singapore to secure a berth in the British Open. He spiked his performance with a monster 40-foot birdie putt in the fourth extra hole to finally dispatch his rival.
Although he failed to make the cut in the British Open, Que showed that he can play with the big boys.
8. Sta. Lucia finally scores a big one
Finally, Sta. Lucia quenched its thirst for an All-Filipino success in the PBA after seven years of failed attempts and misadventures.
Ranged against the Giants of Purefoods, the Realtors climaxed their entry to the exclusive club of All-Filipino winners with a 100-88 win in Game 7.
The cries was highly emotional and physical, but the Realtors proved they were up to the challenge.
But their rise did not come easy.
The Realtors were criticized for trading key players in the middle of the Fiesta Cup. They gave up 1998 MVP Kenneth Duremdes and Alex Cabagnot to Coke and later shipped Mark Isip and Cesar Catli to Coke in exchange for Joseph Yeo.
They also took Ryan Reyes instead of the popular JC Intal in the rookie draft.
But the gamble paid off as Reyes played a pivotal role in their title-clinching win.
The move to elevate Boyet Fernandez as the head coach also paid high dividends.
9. Guiao is RP coach
For several weeks, fans were left guessing as to who will be appointed as coach of the all-pro team in the qualifying tournament of the World Championship in China next year.
But when PBA Commissioner Sonny Barrios picked the volatile but creative Red Bull mentor Yeng Guiao, nobody was surprised.
Barrios said Guiao?s ability to “overachieve” the past few tournaments was the clincher.
“There are three levels of performance underachieving, performing within your potential and overachieving. Coach Yeng has long been overachieving in the PBA. We hope and pray that he carries on with the RP team,” said Barrios.
Guiao was also delighted with his selection, saying his choice as national coach is a greater achievement than winning a championship.
“This is a great honor and privilege to handle a national team. This is actually a dream by any coaches. There?s greater achievement than to represent your country in your chosen field,” Guiao said.
But Guiao knows his job is not going to be easy.
And to avoid making the same mistakes the previous RP coaches did in the past, he made them as members of his advisory group when he initially formed the team.
Guiao will be assisted by his Red Bull deputy coaches Roehl Nadurata and Gee Abanilla.
10. San Beda completes 3-peat
Manny Pangilinan?s charm also worked wonders in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) when San Beda College, a team he supports, completed a hattrick of titles at the expense of Jose Rizal University in the finals.
San Beda?s latest success could well be attributed to the gung-ho performance of two-time MVP Sam Ekwe and guard Pong Escobal.
In his final game as a Red Lion, Escobal tallied 11 points, seven rebounds, and nine assists while Ekwe had another monstrous game, scoring 21 points and grabbing 19 rebounds.
San Beda?s campaign was marred by a controversy involving Ekwe who was brought to Camp Crame for questioning for alleged game-fixing.
Ekwe, however, was not charged of any offense and San Beda officials were quick to dismiss the story.
The Nigerian would late win the Most Valuable Player award for the second time in a short three-year collegiate career.
Also shining for the Red Lions on their momentous achievement was Ogie Menor and rookie Jake Pascual.
Despite the departure of Ekwe and Escobal, San Beda?s future remains bright.
The other stories considered for the list was Harbour Centre?s fifth straight championship in the Philippine Basketball League (PBL); powerlifter Erlina Pecante?s four gold medals in the 2008 IPF World Masters Powerlifting Championships in Palm Springs, California; the failure of Efren “Bata” Reyes, Alex Pagulayan and Ronnie Alcano to win any major tournament; and the victories of Ma. Inez Feria Jorge and Wilfredo Anglo in the 15th World Shoot of the International Practical Shooting Confederation in Bali, Indonesia.
