Some win Olympic medals together, others play the same sport. These are some of the power couples in Philippine sports.
Professional athletes have many fans. But every athlete, whether they play basketball, volleyball, or football, has one fan that stands out the most. Often, it’s their significant other.
We know how hard it is to be an athlete, so when we see athletes being supported by people who love them, it’s beyond heartwarming. So, this Valentine’s Day, we’re celebrating the power couples in Philippine sports who are playing the love game right.
Dwight Ramos & Kianna Dy
Basketball player Dwight Ramos and volleyball player Kim Kianna Dy have been in a relationship for some time now, and they are arguably one of the most popular couples in the world of Philippine sports. They started dating in 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, and one of the things that make them unique as a couple (apart from the fact that they are both professional athletes) is that they are in a long-distance relationship.
Ramos is currently playing for Levanga Hokkaido in Japan, while Dy represents the F2 Logistics Cargo Movers in the Premier Volleyball League in the Philippines. Their long-distance relationship is one that many couples look up to. And while fans love seeing them make the distance work through video calls and online dates, they also love seeing them travel the world together. The athletic couple have been on many dates around the world, like in the United States and Japan.
We love power couples who support one another, especially while they chase their own goals.
Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo & Julius Naranjo
It’s not every couple that can say they won an Olympic gold medal together. But Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo and Julius Naranjo certainly can.
For those of you who may not know, Julius Naranjo was a former weightlifter himself who has refocused his time on coaching. A few years back, he and Hidilyn began working together as coach-and-athlete, but their relationship slowly started to grow into something more. After all, both shared the same passions and goals as athletes. Throughout her journey as an athlete and an Olympian (no easy task to take on), Julius has been by Hidilyn’s side, all the way until she won her Olympic gold medal. That is a moment that Filipino sports fans still can’t stop talking about, but these two have had the opportunity to share this historic moment together.
Now, they are looking ahead towards Paris 2024.
Jeron Teng & Jeanine Tsoi
If you’ve been watching Jeron Teng play basketball since his De La Salle University days, then you’ve probably seen his longtime girlfriend Jeanine on TV supporting all his games. As fans of basketball ourselves, we’ve seen the couple in person many times throughout his career as a player, as Jeanine is always around to support him play, and win or lose, he can surely count on her to never stop cheering.
To this day, though he is pretty far past his UAAP career, their support for one another has stayed the same. Only now, they’re doing it while planning their wedding, after the two of them got engaged in March last year. Now, Jeron will have his number one fan with him for the rest of his life.
Jeanette Panaga & Michelle Morente
Jeanette “Pangs” Panaga and Michelle Morente are two talented Filipino volleyball players, and we’re sure the support hits differently when it comes from someone who truly knows what your hard work entails. Playing for the Creamline Cool Smashers is not an easy task, especially given that the team has been dominating the local volleyball scene for the most part. However, these two make it look easy, always with smiles on their faces, even in the toughest of circumstances in matches.
A couple that can train and play together stays together.
Von Pessumal & Laura Lehmann-Pesumal
We can all agree that Ginebra star Von Pessumal and host and actress Laura Lehmann-Pessumal are both amazing at what they do. As a basketball player, Von kills it on the court, and as an actress, model, and TV host, Laura kicks butt on the screen. And together, they definitely make for one of the best power couples in the Philippine Basketball Association. Both highly influential, these two are lucky to have one another, especially as they navigate challenging industries. But, they both dominate the scenes anyway.
Banner images from Kianna Dy and Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo on Instagram.
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