Obiena, Gilas, Filipinas, other top sports heroes lead ‘biggest’ PSA awards night

MANILA, Philippines – The who’s who of Philippine sports will once again be honored the way they deserve to be – in full regalia under dazzling spotlights – as the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Awards Night unfolds at the Diamond Hotel ballroom in Manila on Monday, January 29.

Pole vaulting superstar EJ Obiena will be awarded the Athlete of the Year by the country’s oldest media organization celebrating its 75th year for his rise to world No. 2 in the sport just behind Olympic champion prodigy Armand Duplantis.

For its stunning achievement of breaking a 61-year gold-medal drought in the Asian Games, the Gilas Pilipinas men’s basketball team will be feted the President’s Award by the PSA, currently led by The Philippine Star sports editor Nelson Beltran.

In a similar way, the Philippine women’s football team – popularly known as the Filipinas – will also be honored with the ‘Golden Lady Booters’ special award for giving women’s sports its well-deserved time of day through a historic FIFA Women’s World Cup debut and first win.

Other sports icons will also be given their due on stage in the jovial event, like Lifetime Achievement Awardees and basketball legends Allan Caidic and the late Samboy Lim, and coaches Dante Silverio, Joe Lipa, and Arturo Valenzona.

Meanwhile, major awardees and Asian Games gold medalists Meggie Ochoa and Annie Ramirez will represent the current generation of athletic standouts alongside special awardees June Mar Fajardo (Mr. Basketball), Tots Carlos (Ms. Volleyball), Sarina Bolden (Ms. Football), and Alex Eala (Ms. Tennis).

Other gold medalists in the Asian and Southeast Asian Games as well as their para-athlete counterparts complete a massive 140-member list of awardees to be cited in the formal gathering, including regular Tony Siddayao awardees and the MILO ‘Gold’ Grit, and Glory Award’ recipients.

Lastly, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) and Jiu-Jitsu Federation of the Philippines (JJFP) will be highlighted as co-winners of the National Sports Associations (NSAs) of the Year.

Veteran sports analyst Quinito Henson and reporter Denise Tan will serve as the hosts of the night. – Rappler.com