PSA honors young achievers

MANILA, Philippines — A three-time jiu-jitsu world champion and a gold winner in the World Wushu Championships are some of the prominent recipients making up the Tony Siddayao Awards in Monday’s San Miguel Corporation-Philippine Sportswriters Association (SMC-PSA) Awards Night at the Centennial Hall of the Manila Hotel.

Aleia Aielle Aguilar and Alexander Gabriel delos Reyes lead the compact list of young athletes to be recognized with the award named after the late former Manila Standard sports editor, Antonio “Tony” Siddayao, regarded as the “Dean of Philippine Sportswriting.”

The five other Siddayao awardees during the Jan. 27 formal affair presented by ArenaPlus, Cignal and MediQuest are fencer Sophia Shekaina Catantan, swimmers Jamesray Mishael Ajido and Behrouz Mohammad Mojdeh, along with wrestlers Paul Sondrie Capinig and Marian Grace Balisme.

All Siddayao awardees will also be given medals and jackets provided by Milo.

Grandmaster Wesley So, basketball star Kiefer Ravena, Olympians Miguel Tabuena and Dottie Ardina, along with Olympic bronze medalist Eumir Marcial are some of the past recipients of the honor for young achievers given out during the traditional awards night supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Milo, PLDT/Smart, and Sen.Bong Go, with backing by the PBA, PVL, 1-Pacman Party List, Rain or Shine, Akari and AcroCity.

Aguilar, daughter of Wrestling Association of the Philippines head Alvin Aguilar, became a three-time world champion at age seven.