NSA officials reveal nominees for SKC Awards Night

DAVAO CITY, Philippines - The local National Sports Association (NSA) officials announced the swimming, cycling, and sepak takraw nominees for outstanding athletes to be honored during the 2008 So Kim Cheng Sports Foundation Awards Night on July 22 at the Grand Regal Hotel. Haroon Cali and Rachel Kehl are the top male and female nominees for swimming as revealed by Philippine Amateur Swimming Association (Pasa) regional director Deedee Gonzalez to Sun.Star Davao Wednesday. Cali, who used to play for Iligan during his High School years, is a swimming varsity scholar at the University of Mindanao. He bagged gold medals in the 2008 National Prisaa Championships held in Zamboanga City. PhilCycling Davao chair Salvador Paholio Jr., meanwhile, said they are endorsing Marcial Catanggue as outstanding athlete for road bike for emerging champion in the Igacos Cycling Challenge and Glen Yap for mountain bike (MTB). Yap topped the 2nd Abante Grande MTB Challenge. Paholio said they also nominated female MTB rider Norissa Goc-Ong who was champion in the 2nd Abante Grande. "We are also recommending that citations be given to the Inday Sara Cycling Team for winning the Igacos Challenge and Araw ng Dabaw and to Igacos Mayor Aniano Antalan for hosting the Igacos Challenge, Davao City Councilor Paolo Z. Duterte for sponsoring Abante Grande and Lipovitan Amino Sports for supporting cycling development," he said. Paholio said the PhilCycling Davao recommendation was based on the performance of riders in PhilCycling-sanctioned events from July 2007 to May 2008. Davao City Sepak Takraw Association (DCSTA) president Nilda Sebellino, for her part, said Errol Valencia is their nominee. The latter was the best spiker during the 2008 National Prisaa and he also carried the Southern Mindanao team to a back-to-back championship in the annual sportsfest for collegiate athletes. The SKC organizers, however, will have the final say on the nominations. All nominees by NSAs will be screened. - Sun.Star Davao