PSA Awards rites biggest in years

The Philippine Sportswriters Association will stage what is expected to be the biggest gathering of sports stars in recent years when it holds the 2003 PSA Annual Awards Night on Jan. 9 at the Manila Pavilion.

Malacañang has already acknowledged receipt of the copy of invitation sent by PSA president Bert Cuevas subject to confirmation of President Arroyo, who is expected to grace the occasion this year to personally present the awards and cash incentives to the athletes.

Two years ago, the Chief Executive graced the PSA rites, presenting the top award shared by Fil-American golfer Dorothy Delasin and billiards king Efren "Bata" Reyes.

People’s consensus world featherweight champion and reigning International Boxing Federation super bantamweight titlist Manny Pacquiao, and CJ Suarez, the fourth Filipino to win the Bowling World Cup, head the awardees as Athletes of the Year.

Also high in the list of awardees are the women’s trios of Liza del Rosario, Liza Clutario and Cecilia Yap, who made history by becoming the first Asians to win a gold in the World Tenpin bowling championship and the Bacolod girls’ softball squad, which topped the Junior League World Series 13-14 division.

Sports officials said President Arroyo, who failed to grace last year’s edition, is very likely to accept the invitation considering her support to the campaign of Pacquiao and the other athletes and the backing of First Gentleman Mike Arroyo to Philippine sports through the First Gentleman Foundation.

Other achievers, including the gold medalists in the last Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam, will be feted during the Awards Night sponsored by Red Bull and Agfa Colors and supported by San Miguel Corp., Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Sports Commission, Samsung, Philippine Basketball Association and Manila Mayor Lito Atienza.