Carrying the Flag: Gabe Dinette’s Journey to Represent the Philippines on the World Wrestling Stage

Now, with eligibility to represent the Philippines, Gabe Dinette prepares for international competition

Gabe Dinette, a member of the FilAmSports family, has been on a mission to represent the Philippines on the international wrestling stage. After competing for both Stanford and Duke University, two of the top academic and athletic institutions in the United States, Dinette is now focused on fulfilling a lifelong dream: carrying the Philippine flag in competition.

Dinette draws strength and purpose from his heritage, with his greatest inspiration being his Lola, who was born and raised in Manila. “My Lola taught us to value hard work and discipline in every aspect of life,” he says. “She gave so much to our family, and honoring her means the world to me.” Carrying the Philippine flag is more than symbolic for Dinette, it’s personal. “It represents who I am, my family, and the pride I have in where I come from.’

Dinette competed at the collegiate level from 2019 through 2023, wrestling first for Stanford, and then for Duke, where he served as team captain. A starter at both programs, he competed in the 157, 165, and 174-pound weight classes, earning Academic All-American honors in both the ACC and Pac-12.

Coming from a deeply athletic family, his father also wrestled for Stanford and competed internationally in submission grappling. His older brother also wrestled at the Division I level for Campbell University, while his younger sister was a Division I diver at the University of Denver. “Sports have always been central to my family,” says Gabe. “From my grandfather playing baseball at BYU to my siblings and me competing in Division I sports, we did it all growing up, but wrestling is what stuck with me.”

Now, with eligibility to represent the Philippines, he is focused on building his international wrestling résumé. Rankings in wrestling are earned through placement at designated “ranking series” tournaments. The more points an athlete earns, the higher their standing, and the greater their opportunity to qualify for top-tier events like the World Championships.

Dinette’s competition schedule for the remainder of the year is packed. He will debut for the Philippines at the Festival de Olimpico Mexicano in Mexico City on August 2–3. He’ll then travel to Manila for the Philippine Nationals on August 30–31, competing at 82 kilograms. After a short recovery period, he’ll head to the Senior World Championships from September 13–21.

He plans to compete at 82 kg for most of the year, with a drop to 79 kg for freestyle events later in the season. His goal is to peak in December, first at the Bill Farrell International in New York, and then at the Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) on December 17 in Thailand.

As he prepares for this next chapter, Dinette expresses his thanks for those who have supported him along the way. “It’s been a long road, and now it’s about executing,” he says. He extends thanks to: the Philippine Sports Commission, trainer Bernard Condevaux, President Alvin Aguilar, Homer Sayson, Ernest Hernandez, Epok Quimpo, Jude Turcuato, FilAmSports, Coach Jam Cantos, Coach Melchor Tumaisis, Coach Aleks Salkonov, the entire Filipino wrestling team, his family, his wife, and the Philippine Consulate in San Francisco.

The road ahead won’t be easy. His weight class includes competitors from wrestling powerhouses such as Russia, Japan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, and Hungary. “I’m looking forward to stepping on the mat with athletes I’ve looked up to, studied, and learned from. Competing against the best gives me the chance to measure myself—not just for SEAG, but, God willing, for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.”

Beyond competition, Dinette sees his platform as a way to give back. “Giving back to the community and supporting Filipinos is important to me and my family,” he says. “We don’t always know what someone else is going through. A small act of kindness can make a big difference. I hope that message is reflected in the way I wrestle, and the way I carry myself on and off the mat.”