Olympians take the spotlight in PSA Awards Night

Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo

A tribute to Filipino Olympians will highlight the San Miguel Corp.-Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Awards Night on Jan. 27 at Manila Hotel’s grand ballroom.

Taking the spotlight will be the Philippine delegation to the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics. This tribute coincides with the centennial celebration of the Philippines’ participation in the Olympic Games, bringing together Olympians from the past 60 years alongside their Paris counterparts.

Carlos Yulo, the country’s first-ever double gold medalist, will receive the prestigious Athlete of the Year award. Fellow Paris medalists Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas will also be recognized with major awards during the ceremony copresented by ArenaPlus, Cignal and MediaQuest.

Hall of Fame

Meanwhile, Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo, the Philippines’ first Olympic gold medalist, will be enshrined in the PSA Hall of Fame.

The Philippine Olympic team for Paris includes EJ Obiena, Lauren Hoffman and Carlo Paalam, among others, while the six-member Paralympic delegation features Jerrold Mangliwan and Angel Otom.

The event will also celebrate Olympians from decades past, with representatives from teams spanning Tokyo 1964 to Tokyo 2020. Notable names include Mansueto Velasco Jr. (Atlanta 1996), Christine Jacob Sandejas (Los Angeles 1984) and Akiko Thomson Guevara (Seoul 1988).

Organized by the PSA under its president Nelson Beltran of The Philippine Star, the ceremony is supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, the Philippine Olympic Committee and corporate sponsors.