BCU Eagles Larstephen Cañedo and Claudine Veloso return home from the world stage
Every athlete who represents the country carries two things into the ring: years of training, and the name of home. When the bell rings in a foreign arena, they fight for themselves, but also for the people and the place that made them. And when the fight is over, there is one more moment worth waiting for: the welcome back.
For two Baguio Central University athletes, that moment came on July 16, 2026. Larstephen Cañedo and Claudine Veloso, both Bachelor of Physical Education (BPEd) students, paid a courtesy call on the university administration after representing the Philippines on the international stage.
Cañedo returned from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with a silver medal from the IFMA Muaythai World Championships 2026. Earning a place on the podium at a world championship is no small feat. It places him among the best in his sport, in a field drawn from nations around the globe. For a student-athlete balancing classes and training, it is the result of countless early mornings, hard sessions, and the discipline to keep going when the body wants to stop.
Veloso, meanwhile, carried the Philippine flag to Europe as a participant in the Czech Republic Boxing Grand Prix. To compete abroad is to test oneself against unfamiliar opponents, unfamiliar styles, and the pressure of representing a whole country. Every bout in that setting is a lesson, and every lesson becomes part of the athlete she is still becoming.
The two were welcomed by the university’s leadership: President Dr. Margarita Cecilda Rillera, Vice President for Administration Dr. Michael T. Sebullen, Vice President for Finance Ms. Amalia Ancheta, and Athletics Director Dr. Michelle C. Alumno. Beneath posters celebrating both athletes, the group gathered for a photo, hands raised together sharing the BCU Eagle sign.
A courtesy call may be a simple meeting, but its meaning runs deep. It tells athletes that their effort was seen, not only by fans in the stands, but by the institution that stands behind them. It also reflects something larger about the university: that the success of one member belongs to the whole BCU family, and that unity and excellence go hand in hand.
There is also something fitting in the fact that both athletes are studying physical education. One day, they may stand in front of their own students, teaching the fundamentals of movement, fitness, and fair play. When they do, they will be able to speak from experience about what it takes to train with purpose, compete with honor, and represent something bigger than oneself.
Their achievements also connect to a larger goal. Sustainable Development Goal 3, Good Health and Well-being, promotes healthy lives for people of all ages, and sport is one of the most powerful ways to inspire that. Athletes like Cañedo and Veloso show young people what discipline and an active life can lead to. As future physical educators, they also reflect Sustainable Development Goal 4, Quality Education, carrying lessons from the world stage back into the classroom.
The medals and the competitions will one day become part of the university’s history. But the welcome they received is a reminder that champions are not made alone. They are made by coaches, classmates, families, and a university that cheers them on from home. Welcome back, champions. The nest is proud of you.