The country’s gold medal winners in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam lead the long list of personalities who will be recognized with citations in the San Miguel Corporation-Philippine Sportswriters Association Annual Awards Night on March 6 at the Diamond Hotel grand ballroom.
Boxing Olympians Eumir Felix Marcial and Rogen Ladon, together with triple gold winners Ana Nualla and Sean Aranar of dancesports, and the Gilas Pilipinas women’s team are among those to be cited with the special award given out by the oldest media organization in the country.
The Philippines bagged a total of 52 golds in Hanoi to finish a strong fourth during the biennial meet that was twice rescheduled due to COVID 19 surge in the region.
Olympians Hidilyn Diaz, EJ Obiena, and Carlos Yulo, along with other SEA Games gold medal winners Rubilen Amit, Meggie Ochoa, Carlo Biado, Johan Chua, and Vanessa Sarno however, will no longer be given citations as they’ll be honored with higher awards during the gala night presented by the Philippine Sports Commission and Cignal TV, and ably backed up by the Philippine Olympic Committee, Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham ‘Bambol’ Tolentino, MILO, Smart, MVP Sports Foundation, Rain or Shine, 1Pacman Rep. Mikee Romero, Philippine Basketball Association, OKBet, and ICTSI.
Yulo, Obiena, Amit, Biado, Chua, Ochoa, and Sarno are part of the group to be feted with Major Awards, while Diaz gets the distinction as the PSA Athlete of the Year for the second straight time.
Other individuals to be cited outside of the SEA Games gold medalists are Chezka Centeno, Marie Antoinette San Diego, Efren Bagamasbad, Ronald Lomotos, Philippine Navy Standard Insurance, Philippine pencak silat team, Letran Knights basketball team, Joyce Reboton, Dottie Ardina, Rianne Malixi, Kaizen dela Serna, Andrico Mahilum, Mark Julius Rodelas, and Sandi Abahan.
Entities receiving the same award are Philippine National Volleyball Federation, and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority.
Earlier announced as part of the honor roll were tennis prodigy Alex Eala for President’s Award and the late track great Lydia De Vega, who will be inducted in the PSA Hall of Fame.