Filipino Olympian Yan Lariba passes away

Ian “Yanyan” Lariba, who represented the Philippines in the table tennis competition of the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, died late Sunday after a long battle with leukemia. She was 23.

The Philippine Sports Commission broke the news of Lariba’s passing in its official Twitter account.

Our deepest condolences to the family of Olympian and Table Tennis national athlete Yanyan Lariba (@supersaiYAAAN) who passed away tonight after a brave fight against cancer.

You are truly loved and shall be greatly missed. pic.twitter.com/B37CbtQNqt

— Philippine Sports Commission (@psc_gov) September 2, 2018

Lariba was diagnosed with leukemia in May 2016, a few months after her Olympic stint. A standout of the De La Salle University table tennis squad, she led the Green Archers to the UAAP title in Season 77.

Over the course of her UAAP career, Lariba has been named MVP thrice (Seasons 75, 77 and 78) and was the recipient of the Athlete of the Year award in Seasons 77 and 78.

News of Lariba’s health condition prompted an outpour of moral and financial support both from the local and international sports communities.

Now her death has sent shockwaves among Filipino fans, many of whom took to social media to offer their condolences.

Olympian table tennis hero Lariba passes away

After more than a year of battle against acute myeloid leukemia, Rio De Janeiro Olympian Ian Lariba finally found peace Sunday night.

She was 23.

The table tennis star, who made history by being the first Filipina athlete in the sport to qualify for the Olympics in 2016, was first diagnosed with AML in May 2017 after a series of blood tests.

Lariba, known by friends and family as Yanyan, went undefeated her entire five-year career in the UAAP playing for De La Salle University.

She was named Most Valuable Player in Seasons 75, 77 and 78 and was feted as UAAP Athlete of the Year in Seasons 77 and 78.

The soft-spoken and strong-willed athlete underwent a bone marrow transplant and was discharged from the hospital October last year.

She was a picture of hope as she started her road to recovery and a possible return to the sport she has always loved.

But January this year she experienced terrible headaches and underwent a head surgery.

Her condition worsened the following months.