Tolentino named top sports executive anew

Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino

Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, the sports chief under whose watch the country won its first gold medal in the Summer Games, will add more polish to his resume.

The POC chief and current Tagaytay City mayor will be awarded Executive of the Year by the Philippine Sportswriters Association after handling another successful year of the country’s national athletes.

Tolentino, whom also won the award last year, will be honored in the San Miguel Corporation-PSA Annual Awards Night on March 6 at the grand ballroom of the Diamond Hotel.

A year after Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo won the country’s first Olympic gold in the women’s weightlifting event of the Tokyo Games, national athletes continued to make their mark on the international stage in 2022.

Diaz-Naranjo, who will be awarded the PSA Athlete of the Year trophy, forged a three-gold feat in the 88th IWF World Weightlifting Championships. The women’s national football team, meanwhile, booked a historic appearance in the World Cup.

Alex Eala, the tennis phenom who also had stints with the national team, became the first Filipino player to bag a junior singles grand slam crown when she ruled the girls’ event in the US Open. EJ Obiena nailed a historic bronze medal in the World Athletics Championship. Gymnast Caloy Yulo captured three golds in the Asian Artistic Gymnastics Championships and a silver and bronze in the World Championships.

—Inquirer Sports Staff