SEA Games gold medalists to be feted in PSA night

MANILA, Philippines — All gold medal winners in both the Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) and ASEAN Para Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia will get a share of the spotlight when the SMC-PSA (Philippine Sportswriters Association) holds its annual Awards Night at the Maynila Hall of the Manila Hotel on Feb. 27.

The gold medalists will be recipients of a citation from the country’s oldest media organization headed by president Dodo Catacutan of SPIN.ph during the formal affair presented by Milo and Cignal TV.

Sprint King Trenten Anthony Beram leads the SEA Games awardees, while the Para Games winners are bannered by tracksters Cielo Honasan and Cendy Asusano, and chess player Sander Severino.

All four emerged with multiple gold medals from the two biennial meets held one after the other in the Malaysia capital last August.

Beram won back-to-back golds in the 200m and 400m run, while Honasan, Asusano, and Severino completed a treble in their respective events.

The Filipinos finished sixth overall in the SEA Games with a total of 23 gold medals while the para athletes bagged 20 gold medals to finish fifth in the Para Games.

Aside from the gold medal winners, there will be other citations to be handed out during the program backed by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) as major sponsor and supported by Mighty Sports, the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), GlobalPort, Rain or Shine, Tapa King and Chooks To Go.

Beram will be joined on stage by fellow tracksters Aries Toledo, Eric Shauwn Cray, and Mary Joy Tabal, along with Nikko Huelgas, Kim Mangrobang, Eumir Felix Marcial, John Marvin, Brennan Louie, Reyland Capellan, Kaitlin de Guzman, Agatha Wong, Carlo Biado, Chezka Centeno, Kiyomi Watanabe, and Mariya Takahashi.

Completing the SEA Games honorees are Dines Dumaan, Samuel Morrison, the men’s poomsae team, the lawn bowls men’s fours, ice hockey team, and the men’s basketball team.

Meanwhile, aside from Honasan, Asusano, and Severino, the rest of the Para Games gold winners are Prudencia Panaliga, Rosalie Torrefiel, Roger Lopez, Gary Bejino, Ernie Gawilan, Arthus Bucay, Christopher Yue, Josephine Medina, Adeline Ancheta, the men’s chess team standard B2/B3, and the chess team standard/rapid P1.

Other than the citation he’ll be receiving, Biado will likewise be honored with the PSA-Tapa King Athlete of the Year award following his rousing triumph in the World 9-Ball Championship in Doha, Qatar.

The country’s new pool star shares the prestigious award with fellow world champions Jerwin Ancajas and Krizziah Lyn Tabora.