Top sports officials dadalo sa PSA Awards Night

MANILA, Philippines - Pangungunahan ng mga top sports officials ang iba pang mga bisita para sa Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Annual Awards Night na itinataguyod ng Coca-Cola sa Marso 1 sa Manila Hotel.

Ang mga inimbitahan ay sina International Olympic Committee (IOC) representative to the Philippines Frank Elizalde, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Jose ‘Peping’ Cojuangco at Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Harry Angping.

Inaasahan ring dadalo sa okasyon ang mga pangulo ng iba’t ibang National Sports Associations (NSAs).

Si boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao ang mangunguna sa kabuuang 76 awardees na bi­bigyan ng parangal ng nasabing sportswriting fraternity para sa two-hour rite na suportado ng Smart, Pacific Online System Corporation, Philippine Sports Commission, Harbour Centre at Accel.

Ang 31-anyos na si Pacquiao ang napili bi­lang Athlete of the Decade ng pinakamatandang Philippine media organization na binubuo ng mga sportswriters at editors mula sa mga major broadsheets at tabloids.

Tinanghal namang Athlete of the Year sina Rubilen Amit, Ma-restella Torres at ang taekwondo trio nina Cecille Alarilla, Janice Lagman at Rani Ann Ortega.

Si Senator Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero ang magiging special guest of honor ng nasabing annual affair.

Babanderahan naman nina boxing champion Annie Albania, billiards kings Efren ‘Bata’ Reyes at Francisco ‘Django’ Bustamante, tennis pla­yers Cecil Mamiit at Francis Casey Alcantara at golfers Chihiro Ikeda at Elmer Salvador ang 19 major awardees.

Ang iba pa ay sina basketball superstar JayJay Helterbrand, chess whiz Wesley So, judoka John Baylon, trackster Arniel Ferreira, cyclist Joel Calderon, jockey Jesse Guce, champion horse Don Enrico at mga world champions na sina Rodel Mayol, Nonito Donaire Jr., Marvin Sonsona, Brian Viloria at Donnie Nietes.