4. Eugene Torre

At 22 years of age, Eugene Torre became the first ever Asian Grandmaster in 1974. He became a legend by beating then world champion Anatoly Karpov in what is still whispered as the greatest battle in chess in 1976.

Torre still competes at high-level matches, and will forever be remembered as a giant slayer.

3. Elma Muros-Posadas

Muros holds the record for winning 15 gold medals in the Southeast Asian Games in the athletics competition. She was a star in the 80’s, a period when track and field enjoyed as much popularity as basketball in the country.

Now 49 years old, Muros is still fit. She coaches young athletes together with her husband George Posadas, and was last seen in the show Survivor Philippines.

2. Lydia de Vega

In the early 80’s, de Vega was a superstar. Dubbed as Asia’s fastest woman, de Vega was the sprint queen, and had everyone glued to their screens as people would watch her tear through the competition.

De Vega now lives in Singapore, where her skills are being harnessed as an athletic coach at the Singapore Disability Council.

1. Akiko Thomson

Thomson became the darling of the Filipino people in the late 80’s. She competed in the 1987 and 1991 Southeast Asian Games and won seven gold medals. She also participated in the 1988, 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympic Games, where she was one of the youngest swimmers to compete at that time.

After her retirement from sports, she became a journalist and television host. She currently owns a swim school.

Do you have your own list of Philippine sports legends and their current whereabouts? Tell us about it below!

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