CEBU’S PRIDE. Mary Joy Tabal and June Mar Fajardo, who are currently among the more noted athletes in the country, pose together during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Awards Night at the Manila Hotel on Tuesday night. Both athletes are set to be feted anew in the Sportswriters Association of Cebu-San Miguel Brewery Sports Awards on March 26 at the Robinsons Galleria Cebu.
contributed by joy tabal
Joy Tabal, June Mar Fajardo, Donnie Nietes and Rubilen Amit lead list of awardees
QAThe Sportswriters Association of Cebu will hold its annual SAC-San Miguel Brewery Sports Awards on March 26 at 3 p.m. at the Robinsons Galleria Cebu.
The activity, which is now on its 31st year, will honor the most notable achievers in Cebu sports of the previous year.
Among those that will be feted are Cebuano basketball giant June Mar Fajardo, marathon queen Mary Joy Tabal, the longest-reigning Filipino world champion Donnie Nietes and women’s World 10-ball champion Rubilen Amit. The Cebuanos who competed in last year’s Southeast Asian Games will also be recognized for bringing honor to Cebu and the country.
“The SAC-SMB Sports Awards is the chance for the Cebuano athletes and Cebu-based athletes to be recognized by the people who write about them,” said outgoing SAC president Mike T. Limpag.
Aside from the four big names in Cebu sports, sports patron Jean Henri Lhuillier, a long time backer in tennis and softball will also receive the Sportsman of the Year award for his contributions to the development of the two sports.
Lhuillier will also be the speaker for the event, which will be held at Robinsons Galleria for just the second time.
Among those who will get major awards for excelling last year are McAvyngr Alob, a gold medalist in the 2017 World Taekwondo Hanmadang Championship, Lloyd Jefferson Go, the NCAA Big East Player of the Year, Kiyomi Watanabe, a three-time SEAG gold medalist, and Milan Melindo, who won the IBF junior flyweight crown in 2017.
The other major awardees are Ekina Caniga for MMA, William John Riley Go for karting and Peter Tyler Po for golf. The major awardees are candidates for the Athlete of the Year award, which will be announced during the day.
On the other hand, starting this year, SAC has renamed the major award for chess to the Francisco “Boy” Pestano award in honor of the long-serving chess columnist who died last year. The first recipient of the Pestano award is Jerish John Velarde, who won the silver medal in the 2017 13th Asian Schools Chess Championship Under 11 Blitz Category.
Football national team members Kintaro Miyagi, ER Orale, Pietrus Dakay, Joaquin Buyco, Jacob Braun, Jordan Jarvis, Trizza Mae Musni, Riza Mae Ugbaniel, Ivan Marcel Ouano and Jessie Semblante will receive citations for representing the country in tournaments abroad. The Don Bosco Technological Center elementary football team will also receive an award for winning the Palarong Pambansa title.
Those who will receive citations are Rogelio Tremedal and Lloyd Apawan for archery, Samantha Limos and Riza Jane Vallente for athletics; Greg Slaughter, Roger Pogoy, University of the Visayas high school and college, Jaybie Mantilla, Biern Laurente, Reinhard Jumamoy, Chinnsai Demana and Jed Cabellon for basketball; Jave Mareck Peteros, Kristen Sanchez, Regina Quinanola, Alphecca Gonzalez, Laila Nadera for chess; Jonas Sultan, Mark Magsayo, Jhack Tepora, Christian Araneta, Joe Noynoy and Denmar Cardeno for boxing; Lois Kaye Go, Junia Gabasa and Weiwei Gao for golf, OJ delos Santos for karatedo; Vince Adrian Rojo for karting; Rhey Ortouste for sepak takraw; the Cebu Pink Paddlers dragonboat team; Lyan Llanto, Lee Navales, Aidaine Laxa, Alyssa Llenes, Alexander Llenes, Johann Concepcion, Francis Arquero, and Nica Farces for taekwondo; and Arthur Craig Pantino for tennis.
Palaro gold medalists in badminton, gymnastics and swimming will also receive citations.
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