ATHLETES, coaches and sports icons will be honored on the 2025 Sports Heroes Night set on September 28 at 6 p.m. at the Grand Ball Room of The Royal Mandaya Hotel in Davao City.
It is presented by the Southern Sports Digest, an online sports, lifestyle and news publication in cooperation with the Davao Sportswriters Association (DSA).
“The Greatest and the Latest sports icons, personalities, athletes, coaches, organizations and the like within the Davao region,” said Leonard Paul Palo of Southern Sports Digest.
Sambist Chino Sy Tancontian and his elder sister Sydney are the Sports Hero of the Year for the Male and Female, respectively.
Their uncle and coach Ace T. Larida is the Coach of the Year while the National Sports Association (NSA) of the Year is the Pilipinas Sambo Federation Inc.
PSFI, formerly known as Sambol Pilipinas, is headed by its President Paolo Tancontian, a judoka from Davao City and father of the winning Tancontians.
Special plaques of recognition will also be given to 16 individuals and organizations including 22 certificates of appreciation.
“Those who have contributed and helped in the development and growth of sports in the local community,” said Palo.
They will be honoring sports heroes (home grown talents) and those who have helped and contributed to the development of sports from the Davao Region, from the past and the present.
Among the invited guests are from the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), the City Sports Development Division Office, the Davao City Council, the Dabaw City Sports Council (DCSCI) and the City Government of Davao.
“This will be the first sports awards, which is being held in collaboration with the DSA,” said Palo.
DSA was founded some 30 years ago here in Davao City.
“We hope to be more inclusive with our list of awardees, especially with the help of various groups and organizations,” said Palo.
The 2025 Sports Heroes Night is backed by the Royal Mandaya Hotel, Philippine Airlines, San Miguel Corporation, Microtel by Wyndham Davao, Aboitiz Infra Capital-Apo Agua, SM Supermalls, Kinetix Sports, Timburana Wood Industries, RFL (Reality Fighting League), Emperador Distillers Inc. and NCCC Supermarket.
