THE heroes and stars of Philippine sports in the year that has just passed get their well-deserved due on Saturday when the Philippine Sportswriters Association holds its traditional Annual Awards Night, presented by MILO and San Miguel Corp.
Two world boxing champions and a rising golf star, who scored his breakthrough win in the rich Asian Tour circuit, lead the long list of awardees to be feted on this night of reminiscence and celebration at the One Esplanade in Pasay City.
World Boxing Organization super-bantamweight title holder Nonito Donaire Jr., long-time WBO light-flyweight champ Donnie Nietes, and Asian Tour winner Miguel Tabuena star in the two-hour program on the eve of Valentine’s Day as the three have been named co-winners of the prestigious Athlete of the Year award by the country’s oldest media organization under president Riera Mallari, sports editor of The Standard.
For the 33-year-old Donaire, it will be the fourth time he’ll be recognized with the same honor, having won it in 2007, 2011, and 2012, while Nietes, 33, and Tabuena, 21, are both first-time winners of the award solely handed out by the sportswriting fraternity to deserving Filipino athletes.
Fellow athletes, executives, and officials are expected to lead the local sporting community in exalting all of the awardees, numbering 111 in all.
Quinito Henson and Patricia Bermudez-Hizon are hosting the program that starts at 7:30 p.m. and which has the Philippine Sports Commission as major sponsor and supported by long-time friends of sports such as Smart, MVP Foundation, Maynilad, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., Philippine Basketball Association, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office/Philracom, Accel, Sen. Chiz Escudero, SM Prime Holdings, Rain or Shine, Globalport, National University, and One Esplanade.
Also a big chunk of the spotlight is expected to fall on Gilas Pilipinas national cage team, which will be the recipient of the President’s Award, and Alaska chief executive officer and president Wilfred Uytengsu Jr., who is the top choice as Executive of the Year.