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| Athlete of the Year Carlos Yulo (center) with Philippine Olympic Committee president, Executive of the Year Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino (second from left) and from left 1Pacman Partylist Rep. Mikee Romero, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richard Bachmann and Philippine Sportswriters Association president Nelson Beltran (Image Source: Business Mirror/Philippine Sportswriters Association) |
Several athletes, including past Filipino Olympians, as well as top sports executives and organizations were honored for their efforts, achievements and contributions in 2024, a highly decorated and monumental year in Philippine sports, at the Philippine Sportswriters Association-San Miguel Corporation (PSA-SMC) Awards Night held last January 27, 2025 at the Manila Hotel. The Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) is the oldest media organization in the Philippines with membership consists of sportswriters and editors from various tabloids, newspapers, and sports websites in the country now led by The Philippine Star sports editor Nelson Beltran as president.
With the theme “Golden Year, Golden Centenary”, the PSA Awards honored a total of 117 awardees from various sports. Among the notable names present in these festivities were Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Richard “Dickie” Bachmann, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, and Senator Christopher “Bong” Go who is the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Youth and Sports. Leading this year's Honorees is the Philippines' first double Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo (Gymnastics) as Athlete Of The Year while Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo (Weightlifting) is inducted into the PSA's Hall Of Fame for making history as the Philippines' first-ever Olympic gold medalist. Nesthy Petecio (Boxing), the first Philippine boxer to achieve back-to-back Olympic podium finishes, and Aira Villegas (Boxing), who secured a bronze medal in her Olympic debut, were bestowed with the President's Award. Tolentino was hailed as Executive Of The Year for leading Team Philippines in hauling two gold medals and two bronze medals in Paris 2024 which is the country's all-time best performance in the global sporting spectacle in decades while the Gymnastics Association Of The Philippines is honored as the National Sports Association (NSA) Of The Year for honing talents such as double Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo. Here are the other awardees being honored at the PSA-SMC Awards Night.
Special Award
• MVP Group of Companies for delivering world-class coverage of Paris 2024 to Filipino audiences
• Paris 2024 Olympians: EJ Obiena (Athletics), Lauren Hoffman (Athletics), John Cabang Tolentino (Athletics), Carlo Paalam (Boxing), Eumir Marcial (Boxing), Hergie Bacyadan (Boxing), Samantha Catantan (Fencing), Bianca Pagdanganan (Golf), Dottie Ardina (Golf), Aleah Finnegan (Gymnastics), Emma Malabuyo (Gymnastics), Levi Jung-Ruivivar (Gymnastics), Kiyomi Watanabe (Judo), Joanie Delgaco (Rowing), Kayla Sanchez (Swimming), Jarod Hatch (Swimming), Elreen Ann Ando (Weightlifting), John Ceniza (Weightlifting), Vanessa Sarno (Weightlifting)
• Paris 2024 Paralympians: Agustina Bantiloc (Para archery), Jerrold Mangliwan (Para athletics), Cendy Asusano (Para athletics), Ernie Gawilan (Para swimming), Angel Otom (Para swimming), Allain Ganapin (Para taekwondo)
Special Recognition for Filipino Olympians
• Ernesto Beren (Gymnastics) - Mexico 1968
• Jaime Mariano (Basketball) - Mexico 1968, Munich 1972
• Freddie Webb (Basketball) - Munich 1972
• Ricardo Fortaleza (Boxing) - Munich 1972
• Marte Samson (Basketball) - Munich 1972
• Gerardo Rosario (Swimming) - Munich 1972, Montreal 1976
• Reynaldo Fortaleza (Boxing) - Montreal 1976
• Akiko Thomson Guevara (Swimming) - Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996
• Nenito Adan (Athletics) - Seoul 1988
• Stephen Fernandez (Taekwondo) - Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992
• Edgardo Maerina (Rowing) - Seoul 1988
• Benjamin McMurray (Judo) - Seoul 1988
• Gregorio Colonia (Weightlifting) - Seoul 1988
• Monsour del Rosario III (Taekwondo) - Seoul 1988
• Roel Velasco (Boxing) - Barcelona 1992
• Isidro Vicera Jr. (Boxing) - Barcelona 1992
• Juan Miguel Torres (Sailing) - Barcelona 1992
• Jaime Reco (Shooting) - Barcelona 1992
• Ed Lasquete (Athletics) - Barcelona 1992
• Walter Torres (Fencing) - Barcelona 1992
• Beatriz Lucero Lhuillier (Taekwondo) - Barcelona 1992
• Amparo Lim (Badminton) - Atlanta 1996
• Mansueto Velasco Jr. (Boxing) - Atlanta 1996
• Jenny Rose Guerrero (Swimming) - Sydney 2000
• Roberto Cruz (Taekwondo) - Sydney 2000
• Donald Geisler (Taekwondo) - Sydney 2000, Athens 2004
• Jasmin Strachan Simpao (Taekwondo) - Sydney 2000
• Benjamin Tolentino Jr. (Rowing) - Sydney 2000
• Marie Antoinette Leviste (Equestrian) - Sydney 2000
• Raphael Matthew Chua (Swimming) - Athens 2004
• Jethro Dionisio (Shooting) - Athens 2004
• Eric Ang (Shooting) - Beijing 2008
• Marestella Toress Sunang (Athletics) - Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016
• Jessie Lacna (Swimming) - London 2012, Rio 2016
• Rene Herrera (Athletics) - London 2012
• Jasmine Alkhaldi (Swimming) - London 2012, Rio 2016
• Kirstie Elaine Alora (Taekwondo) - Rio 2016
• Mary Joy Tabal (Athletics) - Rio 2016
• Charly Suarez (Athletics) - Rio 2016
• Rogen Ladon (Athletics) - Rio 2016
• Cris Nievarez (Rowing) - Tokyo 2020
• Kurt Barbosa (Taekwondo) - Tokyo 2020
Mr. Basketball (Professional): June Mar Fajardo, eight-time PBA Most Valuable Player (MVP)
Mr. Basketball (Amateur): Kevin Quiambao, UAAP Season 87 Men's Basketball MVP
Ms. Volleyball: Jia Morado-De Guzman, AVC (Asian Volleyball Confederation) Challenge Cup Best Setter
Major Awardees
• Rubilen Amit (Billiards), 2024 WPA Women’s World 9-Ball Champion
• Carlo Biado (Billiards), Chinese Taipei Open and 2024 WPA Predator World 10-Ball Champion
• Melvin Jerusalem (Boxing), current WBC strawweight champion
• Pedro Taduran (Boxing), current IBF minimumweight champion
• Daniel Quizon (Chess), the Philippines' 17th grandmaster (the first since 2011)
• Rianne Malixi (Golf), won the Women's Australian Master of the Amateurs and rose to number 5 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings
• Tachiana Mangin (Taekwondo), won gold in the women's -49kg of the 2024 World Taekwondo Junior Championships
• John Alvin Guce (Jockey of the Year), hailed topnotcher in terms of earnings and nabbed most number of races won in the season
• Batang Manda (Horse of the Year), having the most number of races won
• Benhur Abalos (Horse Owner of the Year), helped his team win in the Philracom-PCSO Presidential Gold Cup
Special Award: National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
Special Citations
• Isabella Joseline Butler (Jiu-jitsu), won gold in the under-18 -57kg class of the 2024 JJIF World Championships
• Ruelle Canino (Chess), topped the 2024 National Women’s Championship and helped Team Philippines get the Group B gold in the Budapest Chess Olympiad
• Johann Chua (Billiards), won Hanoi Open 9-Ball Championship and helped Team Asia win the Reyes Cup
• Albert James ‘AJ’ Manas (Billiards), won the 99 Billiards Club Tournament
• Angeline Colonia (Weightlifting), won gold in snatch and total lift of the 45kg class in the 2024 International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Junior Championships
• Lovely Inan (Weightlifting), won gold in clean and jerk and total lift of the 49kg class in the 2024 International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Junior Championships
• Kheith Rhynne Cruz (Table tennis), won the Under-19 girls' singles division of the WTT Youth Contender Westchester 2024
• Marc Dylan Custodio (Bowling), ruled the 10th DIBC-Delta Open Bowling Tournament and played a key role for Team Pilippines in the Asian Youth Tenpin Bowling Championships
• Mark John Lexer Galedo (Cycling), Champion in the Tour of Guam long course (elite) event, clocking in at 2:47:57 for the 105 km race at the age of 39
• Karl Eldrew Yulo (Gymnastics), won eight gold medals in men's individual all-around, vault, floor exercise, parallel bars, horizontal bars, still rings, pommel horse in the junior men's division in Hong Kong
• Regie Ramirez (Powerlifting), won gold medal in the 2024 World Open Equipped Powerlifting Championships and first Filipino to hold a World Open record of 275.5kg in the men's -59kg
• Jessa Mae Tabuan (Powerlifting), made Philippine junior records in bench and deadlift and won silver in squat of women's -52kg in the 2024 World Juniors Powerlifting Championships
• Creamline Cool Smashers (Volleyball), achieved historic PVL (Premier Volleyball League) grand slam
• Dragon Boat National Team, 2024 ICF Dragon Boat World Championship Overall Champions
• Philippine Volcanoes (Rugby), historic double gold for men and women in the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Trophy
• Philippine Baseball Team, five-peat winner in the East Asia Baseball Cup
• Centennial 7 (Sailing), first Philippine boat and first all-Filipino crew who competed in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race
• Ramon ‘Tats’ Suzara (Volleyball), elected president of the Asian Volleyball Confederation and appointed as executive vice president of the FIVB
• Pilipinas Live, transformed sports viewing through live streaming
The PSA-SMC Awards Night also honors and recognizes young and promising athletes through the Tony Siddayao Award which is named after the late former Manila Standard editor who is considered the Dean of Philippine sportswriting. The recipients of the said award are:
• Aleia Aielle Aguilar (Jiu-jitsu), winning the 22kg class in the 2024 World Festival Jiu-Jitsu Championships
• Alexander Gabriel Delos Reyes (Wushu), won gold in the 9th World Junior Wushu Championships
• Sophia Shekaina Catantan (Fencing), won gold in the junior women's foil of the fifth Southeast Asia Pacific Fencing Championships
• Jamesray Mishael Ajido (Swimming), won gold in the 200m backstroke of the 2024 Asian Open School Invitational Long Course Swimming Championships
• Behrouz Mohammad Mojdeh (Swimming), won gold in the boys' 12-14 100m butterfly of the 11th Asian Age Group Swimming Championships
• Paul Sondrie Capinig (Wrestling), won gold in the 51kg freestyle and silver in the 51kg Greco Roman event of the SEA/Oceania Wrestling Championships
• Mariam Grace Balisme (Wrestling), won gold in the 61kg women's freestyle of the SEA/Oceania Wrestling Championships
