THE Casino Espa?ol de Cebu, one of this city?s most stellar of clubs, is the venue tomorrow night for an event that is illustrious and peerless.
MP? Whose initials are those?
Filipinos know him, Mexicans know him and, come May 2, a Briton will know who knocked him out. Another sportsman bears the same initials. Who? If you hail from Bacolod or know the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), you know MP.
Manny Pacquiao and Monico Puentevella. One is an athlete aspiring to be a congressman; the other is a congressman whose beginnings were an athlete.
Tomorrow at 7 p.m., the two MPs will attend the one party that occurs every February?the Sportswriters Association of Cebu-San Miguel Corporation Cebu Sports Awards.
My first attendance to this awarding was 20 years ago. At the Magellan International Hotel, I received a citation as one of Cebu?s top junior tennis players. There, I recall seeing Tony Aldeguer and Michel Lhuillier, among many superstars.
Tomorrow night, it will be star-studded. Greg Slaughter, who stands 7-feet-tall, will stand even taller. Leszl Gitaruelas, who finished third place (among thousands) the other Sunday at the 21K event of the Hong Kong Marathon, will be smiling. Kim Yap, the young genius of the no-sweat, heavy-thinking game of chess, I will finally meet.
There?s Irina Gabasa and Gio Gandionco. No, they?re not 25 or 38 year-old. Irina is only 14; Gio, 13. And, for the sport that involves swinging a tiny white ball, they?re Tiger Woods-like.
How about Tonio Carcel? The son of my good friends Neil and Mia. Ask him to sit a few inches off the asphalt and step on the pedal of a racing kart and he?ll beat Usain Bolt in a 100-meter dash. There?s Sally Mae Siso, the darling of tennis who?ll wear a dress instead of a Nike outfit.
Rachel Ng of wushu will perform. So will Tracy Badonio of gymnastics. The M. Lhuillier Kwarta-Cebu Ni?os team is a major awardee for basketball. There?s Seigfred Ornopia and Jon-Jon Adlawan of motocross. Swimming? There?s double gold medalist of the Palarong Pambansa, Loren Dale Echavez.
Boxing? Gerry Pe?alosa and Donnie Nietes, who else. Plus, add the name of Milan Milendo. The major awardee of shooting? His name is Cris Panes. Dancesport? The champion couple is Joel and Annabelle Madera. There?s Joseph Sanchez of chess, whom I heard from fellow writer Frank Pesta?o is now a GM. The two Ca?etes, Atty. Dionisio ?Dionnie? and Ciriaco ?Cacoy,? will get citations for arnis.
Paco Rodriguez, who led all Cebu karters and was awarded a slot in Japan, receives a special citation. Bowling? I?ve long wanted to interview Kimberly Lao who, among many trophies, represented our nation in Mexico for the World Cup Finals.
Tomorrow, I?ll get to shake her hand. Same with her bowling colleague, Jomar Jumapao. And athletics? Lindley Fran Navaja.
How about a loud applause for the Don Bosco Technology Center football team who won the Palaro? Or weightlifting?s Kelly Kaye Rojas? A standing ovation for the table tennis star, Michael Motel, who won back-to-back MVPs in the 2008 Prisaa Games?
In all, apart from the special awards?Sportsman of the Year, Presidential Awardee, and more, which, sad to say, I can?t report and will be announced tomorrow?there are 21 Major Awardees and 21 Citation Awardees.
More major awardees: Janelle Tabio and Florianne Gutierrez (beach volleyball), Alford Marimon (judo), Vince Marc Tabotabo (tennis), and Arnold Balais (paralympics). Citations also go to Jusabelle Brillo (beach volleyball), Charlea Lagaras (dancesport), Sidney Metante (karatedo), Vicente Fernandez (judo), Teodoro Martus, Jr. (scrabble) and two individuals who?ve popularized mixed martial arts, Renault Lao and Ekin Caniga.
Plus, there?s Jack Huang who helped us with the ?08 SAC Sports Quiz.
To all the awardees, congratulations! And, to the Cebuano public who wants to watch (for free, minus the dinner) and see MP, see you tomorrow.
