Beauty queen Arida big pickleball winner in Cebu
Beauty queen Ariella Arida brandished her athleticism by capturing two gold medals in the Kosmas Pickle Fest 2026 Adult Categories at the Net and Paddle courts in Cebu City on Thursday.
The former Miss Universe Philippines teamed up with Sherry Cu to defeat Chatty May and June Andrea Gonzales, 11-7, for the women’s doubles 35+ crown, as she showcased soft hands. She then returned to the court to complete a golden double with Christian Andres to beat Cu and Marc Tagle, 15-10, in the mixed doubles 35+ final.
Using deep returns, accurate crosscourt dinks and timely drives, the beauty queen-turned-celebrity and Andres dictated the rallies, forcing errors while maintaining pressure at the kitchen line.
The Alaminos, Laguna native showed how much her game has evolved since taking up pickleball three years ago. Her steady serves, crisp third-shot drops and calm net play reflected a player who has grown comfortable reading angles, constructing points and finishing rallies with confidence.
Arida emerged as one of only two players to bag multiple gold medals in the five-day tournament organized by Kosmas Athletic Ventures Corp. and Sunrise Events, Inc., which also serves as a development platform for emerging Filipino pickleball talents.
Titles in the High Intermediate division were still being contested at press time as emerging talents prepared for the Rising Stars U19 Sectional Tournament scheduled on Saturday and Sunday.
