Promising athletes to receive PSA Tony Siddayao Awards

MANILA, Philippines — Upcoming trackster Jessel Lumapas leads a short but compact list of Tony Siddayao awardees to be recognized in next Tuesday’s SMC-PSA (Philippine Sportswriters Association) Annual Awards Night.

Lumapas, a standout of Nazareth School of National University, will be joined by swimmers Micaela Jasmine Mojdeh and Marc Bryan Dula, along with figure skater Czerrine Ramos in receiving the honor handed out by the sportswriting community to promising athletes 17 years old and below.

Presented by Milo, Cignal TV and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), the special event will be held on Feb. 26 at the Centennial Hall – instead of the Maynila Ballroom as earlier announced – of the historic Manila Hotel.

Promimnent figures of the Tony Siddayao Award, named after the late veteran sports editor and dean of Philippine sportswriting, include Wesley So (chess), Kiefer Ravena and Jeron Teng (basketball), Doti Ardina (golf), Eumir Marcial (boxing), Rustom Lim (cycling), Malvinne and Markie Alcala (badminton).

On top of the 2018 list is the 17-year-old Lumapas, who was adjudged most outstanding athlete in last year’s Palarong Pambansa after winning a total of four gold medals in track and field.

A native of Damariñas, Cavite, she later anchored the country’s campaign in the ASEAN School game in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by winning two of the Philippines’ six gold medal haul.

The four recipients of the Siddayao awards make up part of the total 75 honorees to be recognized during the affair also backed by Chooks To Go, NorthPort, Rain Or Shine, Tapa King, SM Prime Holdings, ICTSI, Mighty Sports, and the Philippine Basketball Association.