Sports officials to grace PSA Awards; Delasin due today

Frank Elizalde, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) representative to the Philippines, heads the distinguished list of sports officials gracing the annual PSA (Philippine Sportswriters Association) Awards Night tomorrow at the Holiday Inn hotel.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has been invited as guest of honor and speaker to the affair set at 7 p.m..

Joining Elizalde in the main guest’s roster are Philippine Olympic Committee president Celso Dayrit, Philippine Sports Commission chair Carlos Tuason, Rep. Monico Puentevella, chairman of the House Committee on Youth and Sports, Games and Amusements Board chief Eduardo Villanueva, and Lt. Gen. Benjamin Defensor, Commanding General of the Philippine Air Force.

The affair, feting the top achievers of the 2001 season led by Co-Athletes of the Year awardees Efren "Bata" Reyes and Dorothy Joy Delasin, is sponsored by Photokina Marketing and Red Bull with support from the PSC and will be covered by Viva Vintage Television.

Delasin, her agent Mark Freeland and coach Clint Begay are arriving today from San Francisco via Philippine Airlines for the awards rites.

The presidents of the various national sports associations (NSAs) as well as members of the corporate community are also expected to grace the star-studded affair.

Others invited to the event are sports commissioners William Ramirez, Richie Garcia, Amparo Lim and Cynthia Carrion, as well as the country’s top basketball officials, led by PBA chairman Iggy Yenko and PBA commissioner Jun Bernardino, MBA chief Butch Antonio, PBL commissioner Chino Trinidad and PBL chair Dioceldo Sy.

Basketball stars Danny Ildefonso (pro) and Ren Ren Ritualo (amateur) head the eight top achievers, including Horse of the Year awardee Wind Blown, to be bestowed the major awards. They include Manny Pacquiao (boxing), Eduardo Buenavista (track and field), Liza del Rosario (bowling), Frankie Miñoza (golf), Pat Dilema (Jockey of the Year).

PSA president Lito Tacujan said those who will not receive their invitations before the Awards Night may pick up theirs at the hotel lobby before the rites. He also requested the awardees to bring in only one guest each due to limited seats and an expected huge turnout.

Gold medal winners in last year’s Kuala Lumpur SEA Games lead those who will be given citations, among them are the athletics team of Ernie Candelario, Fidel Gallenero, Dandy Gallenero, John Lozada, Elma Muros-Posadas, Cristabel Martes, Roy Vence, Purita Joy Marino (archery), RP men’s team (basketball) and the billiards trio of Lee Van Corteza, Antonio Lining and Warren Kiamco.

Others to be cited are the RP bowling team (Chester King, Christian Suarez, Engelbert Rivera, Benito Dytoc and Leonardo Rey), RP trio team (Leonardo Rey, Chester King and CJ Suarez), RP doubles team of Arianne Cerdena, Mitchel Martinez (amateur boxing), Wally Mendoza (fencing), Juvic Pagunsan (golf), John Baylon (judo), karatekas Jose Ma. Pabillore and Gretchen Malalad, Jasmin Luis (shooting), taekwondo jins Roberto Cruz, Veronica Domingo and Ma. Nelia Sy-Ycasas, wushu’s Mark Rosales, Willy Wang, Jerome Calica and Mar Sanguiao, motorsports Glenn Aguilar and Kenneth San Andres and powerlifters Erlina Pecante and Antonio Taguibao.

For spearheading a grassroots development program and efficiently staging the Batang Pinoy Games and Mindanao Friendship Games, the PSC is on top of those to be given special citations by the sportswriting fraternity.

Also receiving special citations are Pilipinas Shell (corporate sponsor – active chess), Petron (corporate sponsor – taekwondo), Caltex Philippines (corporate sponsor – boxing), individuals Andy del Rosario and North Cotabato Gov. Emmanuel Pinol and the trio of Holiday Inn, Photokina Marketing and Agfa for sponsoring the weekly PSA Forum.

Posthumous awards will also be awarded to prominent personalities such as Alfie Almario (PBA player), Nereo Andolong (PCSO chair/POC president), Armando Besa (boxing promoter), Tito Eduque (PBA coach), Fely Fajardo (PBA coach), Chris Monfort (PFF secretary general), Larry Mumar (PBA player) and Inocencia Solis (Asian sprint queen).