PSA to honor Blue Eagles, Dragon rowers

MANILA, Philippines - Back-to-back UAAP men’s basketball champion Ateneo and the Dragon Boat team that won two gold medals in a world meet in record-breaking fashion lead the list of personalities and entities to be given citations during the PSA Annual Awards Night presented by Coca-Cola.

The Blue Eagles beat the University of the East Warriors in a grueling best-of-three finals to win a second straight cage championship, and later added the University Games title and the Philippine Collegiate Champions League to their trophy collection.

On the other hand, the dragon boat team broke its own record in the 200-meter premiere open and then won another gold in the mixed category of the ninth International Dragon Boat Racing Championship at the Regatta Center in the Czech Republic, besting 24 other countries during the week-long meet.

Eight others will also be the recipients of PSA citations in the March 1 affair at the Manila Hotel, also presented by Smart, Pacific Online System Corporation, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Harbour Centre, PCSO, Accel and Filoil-Flying V.

Among them are race champion Enzo Pastor, powerlifter Lily Pecante, Ajay Pathak, Hong Sung Chon, Josephine Medina, Ernie Gawilan and the Philippine Olympic Festival.

All 10 awardees are part of 2009’s best and brightest to be honored by the country’s sportswriting fraternity during the two-hour ceremony which has President Arroyo as special guest of honor.

Boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao will be feted with the Athlete of the Decade honor while recipients of the coveted Athlete of the Year award are pool player Rubilen Amit, trackster Marestella Torres and taekwondo jins Cecille Alarilla, Janice Lagman and Rani Ann Ortega.

Boxing women’s champion Annie Albania, meanwhile, banners 19 other personalities to be given with a major award by the country’s oldest media organization composed of editors and sportswriters from the different national broadsheets and tabloids.

Joining Albania as major awardees are Barangay Ginebra’s JayJay Helterbrand (pro basketball), Wesley So (chess), Joel Calderon (cycling), Efren “Bata” Reyes and Francisco “Django” Bustamante (billiards), Chihiro Ikeda and Elmer Salvador (golf), Arniel Ferreira (track and field), John Baylon (judo), Cecil Mamiit and Francis Casey Alcantara (tennis), jockey Jesus Guce and Don Enrico (horseracing) and Brian Viloria, Donnie Nietes, Nonito Donaire Jr., Marvin Sonsona and Rodel Mayol (pro boxing).

The 38 gold medal winners in the last Southeast Asian Games in Laos are also to be honored with a special award, while the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (Patafa) is the hands down choice as NSA of the Year.

Teen powerlifter Patricia Llena and youthful golfer Carlos Philippe Winsett Palanca are the year’s recipients of the Tony Siddayao Youth award.

ATHLETE OF THE DECADE

Manny Pacquiao

ATHLETES OF THE YEAR

Rubilyn Amit, Marestella Torres, Rani Ann Ortega, Janice Lagman, and Camille Alarilla

MAJOR AWARDEES

Arniel Ferreira (athletics), Jayjay Helterbrand (basketball), Rodel Mayol (pro boxing), Donnie Nietes (pro boxing), Brian Viloria (pro boxing), Nonito Donaire Jr. (pro boxing), Marvin Sonsona (pro boxing), Annie Albania (amateur boxing), Efren “Bata” Reyes (billiards), Francisco “Django” Bustamante (billiards), Wesley So (chess), Joel Calderon (cycling), Elmer Salvador (men’s golf), Chihiro Ikeda (women’s golf), John Baylon (judo), Cecil Mamiit (tennis), Francis Casey Alcantara (tennis), Jesse Guce (Jockey of the Year), Don Enrico (Horse of the Year).

SPECIAL AWARDS

Gold medalists in 2009 Laos SEA Games

NSA OF THE YEAR

Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (Patafa)

TONY SIDDAYAO AWARD

Patricia Llena

Carlos Philippe Winsett Palanca

CITATIONS

Ajay Pathak, Dragon boat team, Ateneo Blue Eagles, Lily Picante, Hong Sung Chon, Philippine Olympic Festival, Josephine Medina, Ernie Gawilan, Enzo Pastor