THE YEAR has started terribly for Filipino athletes, as they continue to suffer one injury after another, this time in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) with Choco Mucho’s Kat Tolentino rupturing her appendix.
While many Philippine-represent national players and teams are now making waves in international events, it is undeniable that the year has not started well for Filipino athletes.
Just a few weeks ago, we saw young basketball stars Kai Sotto and Kevin Quiambao suffer catastrophic injuries, an ACL tear and a severely sprained ankle.
The Flying Titans’ opposite spiker Tolentino will miss the remainder of the 2024-2025 PVL All-Filipino Conference after being diagnosed with a ruptured appendix, the team reported on social media.
Tolentino out
At the outset of the post, the management reported that Tolentino first experienced severe abdominal pain on Monday. She was immediately brought to the hospital, where the diagnosis was confirmed the next day.
“On Jan. 20, 2025, Katrina Tolentino had to be hospitalized for severe abdominal pains. Today she was diagnosed with a ruptured appendix and had to undergo surgery this afternoon,” the announcement said.
Choco Mucho will meet PLDT in its next game on Thursday, an important encounter that might seal its postseason spot. Despite the significant loss from Tolentino’s health emergency, the team is confident on her recovery.
“She is resting now. Let’s all pray for her quick and full recovery. Get well soon, Kat! The entire Titan fam is here for you and will always have your back,” the management went on to say in their post.
Tough times for Kat
Besides the damaged appendix, the 6-foot-2 star was also dealing with an auditory problem earlier in 2024. This is a disorder in which one side of her ear can hear but the other cannot, affecting her performance.
“It’s different because I’m deaf in my left ear, so all the sounds are coming from my right side, so it’s pretty different. Just even as a person in the arena, it’s different but it’s not something that I can’t deal with,” she said.
During that time, Tolentino stated that her ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor told her that her hearing had not yet returned, and that the problem she was experiencing had been present for 9 months as of November 2024.
“Well, it hasn’t exactly come back, and it’s been almost around 9 months. Hopefully, it’s not permanent; hopefully, it will come back. But right now, I just can’t really hear so much on my left side,” she added.
Choco Mucho will miss Tolentino’s performance, after dropping 79 points on 56 attacks, 19 blocks, and four service aces, ranking her 10th in the 2024-2025 PVL AFC scoring race.
The Flying Titans will compensate with Dindin Santiago-Manabat, Sisi Rondina, Des Cheng, Isa Molde, and Royse Tubino, Tolentino’s co-opposite spiker.
