THE past links with the present in a celebration to remember as the best and the brightest of 2022 are honored tonight in the San Miguel Corporation-Philippine Sportswriters Association (SMC-PSA) Annual Awards Night at the grand ballroom of the Diamond Hotel.
Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz, the star of the night, will receive the prestigious Athlete of the Year award for the second straight time from the oldest media organization in the Philippines headed by Rey Lachica, sports editor of Tempo.
Diaz, 31, leads the long honor roll made up of close to 100 awardees who will be honored on this memorable night that will also have the late track great Lydia De Vega being elevated to the PSA Hall of Fame and bosom buddy Elma Muros-Posadas being recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Former Project: Gintong Alay director Michael Keon, current mayor of Laoag City, will be among the special guests as he reminisces the good, old glory days when De Vega and Muros-Posadas, among others, were the toast of Philippine track and field.
Other bigwigs, led by Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richard Bachmann and Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino will grace the formal affair.
Rising tennis star Alex Eala will be bestowed with the President’s Award and Olympians EJ Obiena, Carlos Yulo, and Carlo Paalam, along with the Philippine Women’s football team and 11 others, will receive Major Awards.
Veteran sportscaster Sev Sarmenta and lovely sports journalist and host Rizza Diaz will anchor the gala night presented by the PSC and Cignal TV and backed by the POC, Tagaytay City Mayor Bambol Tolentino, Milo, Smart, MVP Sports Foundation, Rain or Shine, 1Pacman Rep. Mikee Romero, Philippine Basketball Association, OKBet, ICTSI, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.
Other special awards to be given are Executive of the Year (Tolentino), National Sports Association of the Year (Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas), Mr. Basketball (Scottie Thompson), Ms. Football (Sarina Bolden), and the Milo Champion of Grit and Glory award (Diaz).
Citations will also be handed out to the gold medal winners in the Vietnam Southeast Asian Games, as well as the Tony Siddayao Awards, PSA Special Awards, and the Lifetime Award in sports journalism.
