PSA to honor Olympic silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz, other notable Filipino athletes in virtual awards night

The Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) will honor the most prominent sportsmen and entities in its Awards Night to be held virtually on March 27.

Lauded Filipino weightlifter and Olympic silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz leads the list of the athletes who will be handed out citations by the association.

The 30-year-old weightlifting champion has completed a three-gold sweep in the women’s 55kg division of the Roma Weightlifting World Cup in Italy last year right before the pandemic to virtually finalize her spot in the Tokyo Olympics.

Along with Diaz, 19 other athletes will be handed out citations by the PSA on the March 27 event, led by Manila Bulletin sports editor Tito S. Talao.

Also to be cited are Diaz’s co-weightlifter Vanessa Samo, Olympic-bound boxers Eumir Felix Marcial and Irish Magno, pole vaulter EJ Obiena, the skateboarding pair of Margielyn Didal and Motic Panugalinog, the track and field quartet comprised of Natalie Uy, Kristina Knott, William Morrison, and Christine Hallasgo, and OJ Delos Santos of karate.

The rest of the citations to be given include Sander Severino of chess, sambo’s Sydney Tancontian, cyclist George Oconer and the Philippine Navy-Standard Insurance cycling team, as well as the four major leagues — the Philippine Basketball Association, Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3, Philippine Football League, and the National Basketball League — that successfully held their respective bubble amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Additionally, lady golfer Yuka Saso will also receive the prestigious Athlete of the Year award, an honor exclusively handed out by the PSA.

On the other hand, a Lifetime Achievement Award will also be handed out to the three pillars of Philippine sports — namely, former Gintong Alay project director Jose A. Rosamanta, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) executive director Renauld ‘Sonny’ Barrios, and former ambassador and Philippine basketball godfather, the late Eduardo ‘Danding’ Cojuangco.

The Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) is set to be bestowed the National Sports Association (NSA) of the Year award for the second straight time. Meanwhile, rising tennis player prodigy Alex Eala, and world boxing champions Johnriel Casimero and Pedro Taduran will receive major awards.