THE men and women who did the country proud in sports a year ago get their well-deserved dues tonight when the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) honors them through its Annual Awards Night, presented by Coca-Cola at the Centennial Hall of the Manila Hotel.
The universally recognized pound-for-pound king of boxing today, Manny Pacquiao, and the all-female quintet of pool star Rubilen Amit, long-jump queen Marestella Torres and taekwondo jins Camille Alarilla, Janice Lagman and Rani Ann Ortega head the more than 70 personalities and entities to be toasted during the two-hour ceremony emceed by Formula Three driver- turned-model Gabby de la Merced and sportscaster and columnist Quinito Henson.
Pacquiao is the year’s recipient of the Athlete of the Decade honor for his consistent brilliancy atop the ring, while Amit, Torres, Alarilla, Lagman and Ortega are the corecipients of the prestigious Athlete of the Year award following their major triumphs in the international front in 2009.
Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero will deliver an inspirational message as special guest of honor during the event, also presented by Smart, Pacific Online System Corp., Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Harbour Centre, Accel and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. DzSR Sports Radio 918 will air the affair live.
Joining Escudero and the country’s sportswriting fraternity in paying respect to Filipino athletes are top sports officials, led by International Olympic Committee representative to the Philippines Frank Elizalde, Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose Cojuangco Jr. and PSC chairman Harry Angping.
A list that includes boxing champions Annie Albania, Nonito Donaire Jr., Rodel Mayol, Brian Viloria, Donnie Nietes and Marvin Sonsona, pool legends Efren “Bata” Reyes and Francisco “Django” Bustamante, chess whiz Wesley So, tennis players Cecil Mamiit and Francis Casey Alcantara, golfers Chihiro Ikeda and Elmer Salvador, trackster Arniel Ferreira, judoka John Baylon, cyclist Joel Calderon, jockey Jesse B. Guce, champion horse Don Enrico and basketball Most Valuable Player Jayjay Helterbrand will receive major awards for their respective achievements in 2009.
The gold-medal winners in the 25th Southeast Asian Games will receive special awards for leading the country to a fighting fifth-place finish in the biennial meet Vientiane (Laos) hosted for the first time.
Two promising athletes, Patricia Llena and Carlos Philippe Winsett Palanca, will receive the Tony Siddayao Youth awards, while the National Sports Association of the Year honors will be bestowed on the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association.
