A PAIR of karters leads five other young athletes who will be honored by the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) with the Tony Siddayao Award during its Annual Awards Night, copresented by Milo and San Miguel Corp., on Monday at the 1Esplanade in Pasay City.
Riders Zachary David and Gabriel Tayao Cabrera will join golfer Mikhaela Fortuna, chess player Paulo Bersamina and swimmer Kyla Soguilon as the latest batch of young athletes to be honored with the special award named after the late Manila Standard sports editor Tony Siddayao, considered as the Dean of Philippine sportswriting.
The award is given by the county’s oldest media organization to promising athletes aged 17 and below, and who showed exemplary skills in their respective sports.
David and Cabrera ruled their respective divisions in the Asian Karting Open Series in Macau. Bersamina, meanwhile, topped the under-20 event of the 15th Asean Age Group Chess Championships to obtain his International Masters title.
Fortuna won the US Kids-Teen World Golf Championship 13-division, while Soguilon sparkled in two international tournaments, including the 16th Royal Bangkok swimfest, where she collected six gold medals.
They are part of the honor roll, led by Athlete of the Year Daniel Caluag, who will be recognized for their respective achievements in 2014 during the formal event, which has for principal sponsors Meralco, Smart and the MVP Sports Foundation and the Philippine Sports Commission as major sponsor.
University Athletic Association of the Philippines cheerdance champion National University will showcase the performance that won for the school two straight titles as it entertains awardees and guests with its special number.
The awards ceremonies, which also has 1Esplanade, GlobalPort, El Jose Catering, PCSO, Rain or Shine, PBA, Maynilad, Accel, ICTSI, Pagcor, National University and Air21 as partners, will also honor the NU Bulldogs (President’s Award), Hans Sy (Executive of the Year), MVP Sports Foundation Inc. (Sports Patron of the Year), the 1973 Philippine men’s basketball team (Lifetime Achievement Award), Tim Cone (Excellence in Basketball), Mitsubishi (Hall of Fame), Alyssa Valdez (Ms. Volleyball), Jean Pierre Sabido (Mr. Taekwondo), and Princess Superal and Tony Lascuña (Golfers of the Year).
Major awards, meanwhile, will be handed out to Donnie Nietes, the San Mig Coffee team, Gabriel Luis Moreno, Michael Christian Martinez, the San Beda Red Lions, June Mar Fajardo, Kiefer Ravena, Mark Galedo, Daniella Uy, Mikee Charlene Suede, Jessie Aligaga, Jean Claude Saclag, the Philippine dragon-boat team, the Philippine poomsae team (male over-30), the Philippine poomsae team (freestyle), Kid Molave and Jonathan Hernandez.