Jump to content

Cheska Altomonte

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cheska Altomonte
Personal information
Full nameFrancesca Altomonte
National teamPhilippines
Born (1992-06-27) June 27, 1992 (age 33)
Years active2013–2019, 2023–
Sport
SportSoftball, Slow-pitch softball
Position
    • Catcher (softball)
    • Infield (slowpitch)
University teamAteneo Lady Batters
Medal record
Women's softball
Representing  Philippines
Asian Championship
Silver medal – second place 2017 Taichung Team
SEA Games
Gold medal – first place 2015 Singapore Team
Gold medal – first place 2019 Philippines Team
Co-ed slow-pitch softball
Representing  Philippines
Silver medal – second place 2023 Pattaya Team

Francesca "Cheska" Altomonte (born June 27, 1992) is a Filipina softball player who plays as a catcher of the Philippines women's national softball team.

Early life and education

[edit]

Cheska Altomonte was born on June 27, 1992 and comes from a family of baseball and softball players.[1][2] She is the second eldest of among a brood of six.[3] She started with baseball, playing with her brothers at age 10 as a as a pitcher, shortstop, and a third base.[4] Her sisters are into softball.[3]

She attended the Ateneo de Manila University graduating with a degree in sports organization management in 2013.[2][5]

Career

[edit]

Cheska Altomonte played for Ateneo's softball team in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines' (UAAP) Softball Championship.[4] She played for five years with her school and later became co-captain.[4][6]

Barely 17-years old, Altomonte tried out for the Philippines women's national softball team in 2010 but did not make it.[4] However, she was part of the training pool as early as 2011.[3]

Altomonte eventually start playing for the Philippine national team in 2013.[7] She plays as a catcher with the Philippines and later became team captain.[8][9] She took a leadership role within the team, helping Filipino Americans integrate with the local-based players.[10]

Altomonte won her first ever SEA Games medal at the 2015 SEA Games in Singapore.[11] At the 2017 Asian Women's Softball Championship in Taichung, the Philippines finished as runners-up.[12]

She competed in other regional, continental and international tournaments. She returned to the Asian Championship in 2019, and 2023, took part at the Women's Softball World Championship in 2016 and 2018, the Asian Games in 2014 and 2018.[1] In both instances of the Asian Games, they placed fourth.[13][14]

Altomonte decided to retire from the national team after the Philippines won its tenth ever gold medal at the 2019 SEA Games.[5][15]

Altomonte was convinced to come out of retirement by Ana Maria Santiago, her coach for the 2022 Asian Games and 2023 Women's Softball World Cup (formerly the World Championship). She had a MCL injury in the 2022 Canada Cup which the Philippine national team took part of its preparations.[2][8]

After recovering, she joined the 2023 Asian Championship in April.[1] She also played for the Philippines co-ed national slow-pitch softball team at the 2023 Co-Ed Slow-Pitch Softball Asia Cup in May.[8] In slow-pitch softball, Altomonte played in the infield position. They finished second.[16]

She rejoined the regular softball Philippine national team for the Group Stage (Group C) of the 2024 Women's Softball World Cup in July 2023. They reached the playoff but was defeated by Italy, preventing their qualification for the finals phase.[2][17] In October 2023, Altomonte joined the 2022 Asian Games squad, placing fourth again.[18]

Sports administration

[edit]

In 2020, Altomonte became secretary general of the Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines the following year.[8][9] She also became part of the Philippine Olympic Committee's Athletes' Commission in the same year.[19]

Personal life

[edit]

Cheska's brother, Dino is a member of the Philippines national baseball team since 2017.[7] Altomonte worked at Solar Entertainment. She reportedly left a high-paying job at Solar to focus on her national team duties.[20]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Softball - ALTOMONTE Francesca". The 19th Asian Games. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d Caniza, Annika (August 14, 2023). "Cheska Altomonte: Turning Philippine Softball's Potential Into Reality". The Game. One Mega Group. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c Cabal, Kaye (December 8, 2019). "Sibling sensation: Altomontes offer double SEA Games gold to mom". Rappler. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d Pe, Roger (April 29, 2018). "PHL softball and the chase for Filipinos' Olympic dream". BusinessMirror. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  5. ^ a b Matel, Philip (December 9, 2019). "Curtain call for RP Blu Girls Altomonte, Blando". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  6. ^ "Team Ateneo: Gearing up for the second semester". The Guidon. December 27, 2012. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  7. ^ a b Garcia, Maria Angelica (December 9, 2019). "SEA Games 2019: Double gold for Altomonte siblings". GMA News. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  8. ^ a b c d "Francesca the Face of Philippines Softball". Softball Asia. May 25, 2023. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  9. ^ a b Payo, Jasmine (August 4, 2023). "'Little more push': Blu Girls proud of Softball World Cup stint". Rappler. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  10. ^ Ochoa, Francis T. J. (September 27, 2014). "Crack Fil-Ams give softbelles extra oomph". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  11. ^ "At The SEA Games Episode 9: Golds abound as Team PH climbs to sixth". Tiebreaker Times. June 11, 2015. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  12. ^ Nicolas, Jino (December 7, 2017). "RP Blu Girls' runner-up finish good for WBSC World Championships, Indonesia Asian Games in 2018". BusinessWorld. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  13. ^ Go, Beatrice Lauren (August 24, 2018). "Asian Games curse continues for PH Blu Girls". Rappler. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  14. ^ "Asian Games Preview: Blu Girls aim for podium finish". ESPN.com. July 31, 2018. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  15. ^ Li, Matthew (December 9, 2019). "Cheska Altomonte leaves RP Blu Girls at ease". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  16. ^ "Report: 1st Coed Slow Pitch Softball Asia Cup" (PDF). Softball Asia. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
  17. ^ "Altomonte hoping Blu Girls core would be retained for future competitions". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. July 31, 2023. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  18. ^ Terrado, Jonas (October 2, 2023). "PH Blu Girls miss out on Asian Games medal after heartbreaker". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  19. ^ Go, Beatrice Lauren (February 14, 2020). "Hidilyn Diaz, Nesthy Petecio join POC Athletes' Commission". Rappler. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  20. ^ Li, Matthew (July 1, 2020). "Cheska Altomonte not closing doors on RP Blu Girls return". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved July 16, 2025.