FILIPINO athletes and coaches went the extra mile in a year when sports were shut down by doing their share to help the community cope with the Covid-19 pandemic.
Athletes who also serve in the military and police, as well as those who have day jobs as nurses, doctors or health workers served as frontliners, risking their own health and safety while keeping abreast with their sports by doing online training.
In appreciation for their effort and supreme sacrifice, the frontliner athletes will be given a Special Recognition in the San Miguel Corp.-Philippine Sportswriters Association (SMC-PSA) Annual Awards Night on Saturday at the TV5 Media Center.
The special citation is part of the honor roll for 2020 the country’s oldest media organization headed by Manila Bulletin sports editor Tito Talao will be recognizing in the event presented by San Miguel Corp. and backed by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and Cignal TV.
The virtual Awards Night, also backed by 1Pacman Partylist, Chooks-to-Go and Rain or Shine, will be aired on Monday over OneSports+ from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Southeast Asian Games gold medal winners Nikko Huelgas and Claire Adorna of triathlon, men’s volleyball coach Dante Alinsunurin and players Jessie Lopez and Ranran Abadilla, University of Santo Tomas women’s volleyball coach Kung Fu Reyes and women’s national team member Jovelyn Gonzaga were among the frontliner athletes who went out of their way and served the country when help was needed.
Huelgas, 29, was even given a military merit medal by the Philippine Air Force for his immediate response in helping out Filipinos during the early part of the pandemic.
Pro golfer Yuka Saso will join Huelgas and Co. during the awards rite as the Athlete of the Year, while Philippine Olympic Committee President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino will receive the President’s Award and Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner Willie Marcial will be bestowed the Executive of the Year honor.
Sports pillars led by former Project: Gintong Alay Director Jose Romasanta, former PBA Commissioner Renauld “Sonny” Barrios and the late ambassador and basketball godfather Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco will each be conferred with a Lifetime Achievement Award, while the major awardees for 2020 include world boxing champions Johnriel Casimero and Pedro Taduran and young tennis ace Alex Eala.
Citations will also be given to 20 personalities and entities as well as the “Manok ng Bayan” Fan Favorite award to boxing legend Manny Pacquiao.
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