MANILA, Philippines - The basketball, athletics, boxing and wushu associations loom as the top candidates for the National Sports Association (NSA) of the Year award the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) will be giving out during its Annual Awards Night on Jan. 25.
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) headed by telco tycoon and sports patron Manny V. Pangilinan is among the leading contenders following Gilas Pilipinas and Junior Gilas Pilipinas’ successful campaigns that earned them slots to the Fiba-World Cup next year, a first after a very long while in Philippine basketball history.
The Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (Patafa) emerged the most productive NSA in the just concluded 27th Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar after winning six gold medals, including two by double winner Archand Christian Bagsit.
The Alliance of Boxing Associations of the Philippines (ABAP) has also seen one of its successful years under its president Ricky Vargas when the federation bagged three gold medals in the SEA Games, and could have won even more if not for the questionable decisions handed out in two other finals matches involving Filipino pugs Nesthy Petecio and Wilfredo Lopez.
Also in the running is the Wushu Federation of the Philippines (WFP), which kicked off the country’s gold-medal haul also in Myanmar with three golds.
On top of the NSA of the Year is the Athlete of the Year award which is being contested by Gilas PIlipinas for its Fiba World Cup berth and billiards aces Dennis Orcollo and Lee Van Corteza for their World Cup of Pool domination, and Rubilyn Amit for her second Women’s World 10-Ball crown.
Boxing great Manny Pacquiao will be the guest of honor and speaker during the formal ceremony the PSA is annually holding in partnership with Smart Sports, Milo, Philippine Sports Commission, Air21, Globalport, Philippine Basketball Association, Accel, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. and Rain or Shine.
Also to be given out are the Executive of the Year and the Presidential Achievement, Lifetime Achievement and Milo Junior Athlete Awards.
There will also be major awardees in the various sports, citations, posthumous and Tony Siddayao Award for deserving young athletes.
The gold medallists in the Myanmar SEA Games will receive citation trophies from the country’s oldest media organization composed of sports editors, writers and columnists from the national dailies and tabloids and website.
The PSA is also reiterating its call to former Athlete of the Year awardees to contact the association through email philsportswritersassociation@gmail.com or mobile numbers 0917-5094400, 0917-5435713, and 0932-8464233.