Tennis star Alex Eala, triathlete Kira Ellis, basketball standouts Kiefer and Thirdy Ravena, and volleyball gamers Stephanie Mercado and Dani Ravena all observe within the footsteps of their athlete-moms
MANILA, Philippines – For a number of the Philippines’ high athletes, sports activities runs within the blood, with many following within the footsteps of their mother and father who additionally excelled in competitors.
In celebration of Mom’s Day, listed below are athlete-mothers whose youngsters went on to pursue sports activities careers of their very own
Lydia de Vega and Stephanie Mercado
Lengthy earlier than Stephanie Mercado-de Koenigswarter was born, her mom Lydia de Vega had already carved out a legendary athletics profession.
For a lot of the Eighties, Lydia stamped her class as Asia’s dash queen by ruling the ladies’s 100m within the 1982 and 1986 Asian Video games and capturing the ladies’s 100m and 200m gold medals within the 1983 and 1987 Asian Athletics Championships.
Lydia, who additionally represented the Philippines within the 1984 Los Angeles and 1988 Seoul Olympics, gave delivery to Stephanie in 1989, however she continued her dominance within the area even after as she received the final three of her 9 Southeast Asian Video games gold medals with triumphs within the 1991 and 1993 editions.
later added three extra Southeast Asian Video games gold medals
Stephanie additionally excelled in sports activities as a volleyball participant, serving to the dynastic La Salle Woman Spikers win three UAAP championships.
One of many Philippines’ high outdoors hitters, Stephanie performed for a number of golf equipment after her collegiate run, together with within the Premier Volleyball League, earlier than she transitioned right into a profession as a volleyball analyst.
Stephanie remembers Lydia, who died in 2022 after a four-year battle with breast most cancers, as a strict however loving mom.
“Our mother was an excellent disciplinarian, however her love for us was incomparable,” Stephanie informed TV Patrol in 2022.
Rizza Maniego-Eala and Alex Eala
Wherever Alex Eala competes, her mother and father Rizza and Mike are sometimes within the stands.
Rizza and Mike have been a continuing supply of help for Alex, who has loved immense success on the younger age of 20 as she ranks among the many high 50 feminine tennis gamers on the planet.
Unknown to many, Rizza was additionally an athlete who donned the nationwide colours.
A former nationwide group swimmer, Rizza received a bronze medal within the girls’s 100m backstroke within the 1985 Southeast Asian Video games earlier than she pursued a company profession, ultimately serving as chief finance officer of telecommunications large Globe.
Now retired, Rizza spends her time following Alex world wide along with husband Mike.
That unwavering help has accomplished wonders for Alex, who has developed into one of many greatest attracts within the tennis following her historic feats over the previous 12 months, together with a semifinal look within the 2025 Miami Open and a first-round victory within the 2025 US Open.
“I need to thank her for being the superb girl that she is and for serving to me turn out to be the girl that I’m,” Alex stated as tribute for Rizza throughout Worldwide Girls’s Day in March.
Mozzy Ravena and Ravena siblings (Kiefer, Thirdy, and Dani)
Siblings Kiefer, Thirdy, and Dani Ravena had been born to play sports activities.
They obtained their athletic genes not solely from their father, former PBA participant Bong, but additionally their mom, Mozzy, who was a standout volleyball participant for the UST Golden Tigresses.
Mozzy received a few UAAP championships with UST within the late Eighties earlier than she married Bong in 1991 and afterward gave delivery to Kiefer in 1993, Thirdy in 1996, and Dani in 1999.
The Ravena siblings have flourished in sports activities identical to their mother and father.
Kiefer and Thirdy have suited up for Gilas Pilipinas and have taken their acts overseas as imports in overseas leagues, whereas Dani has performed within the Premier Volleyball League for a number of seasons. Additionally, the three all received UAAP titles with Ateneo.
As her three youngsters grew up, Mozzy made it a degree to be at their video games.
“It’s troublesome however gratifying,” Mozzy stated in Filipino in a 2017 episode of ABS-CBN speak present Magandang Buhay when requested about being a mum or dad of athletes. “It’s bodily onerous, particularly you probably have a job, you have to discover time to observe their video games. However the reward makes up for the exhaustion.”
Doray Ellis and Kira Ellis
It’s no shock why Kira Ellis thrives in triathlon — she obtained it from her mom Doray.
Solely 19 years outdated, Kira stands as one of many Philippines’ brightest triathlon abilities, having incomes high honors within the 2025 European Triathlon Junior Cup in Latvia.
She additionally ended the 2025 Southeast Asian Video games in Thailand as probably the most bemedalled Filipino athletes with 5 medals, placing two golds (all girls relay and blended group relay) and one silver (girls’s particular person) in triathlon and two silvers (all girls relay and blended group relay) in aquathlon.
Kira’s expertise was honed at an early age as she grew up watching Doray and father Mark compete in triathlon occasions.
“We’re actually hooked on the game,” Doray informed the Talking of Cash podcast. “Kira was born into triathlon. I used to be doing triathlon when she was conceived and all the pieces.”
“Rising up she would see us, prepare, race, go as much as the rostrum,” Doray added. “She actually grew up seeing triathlon as a part of our day-to-day life.”
Now, Doray serves as Kira’s coach and mom-ager. – Rappler.com
