3 Everest climbers among awardees of PSA-SMC

The three Filipinos who scaled Mount Everest last year will share the limelight with Philippine Sports Associations' (PSA) eight Athletes of the Year during the PSA-SMC Annual Awards at the Mall of Asia on Jan. 18. According to a PSA press release issued on Sunday, Leo Oracion, Pastor Emata, and Romi Garduce, who climbed the summit of the 29,035 feet mountain one after the other last summer, will be honored with the PSA President's Award. Earlier, Pacquiao has been bestowed the honor Athlete of the Year with seven others — namely, billiards champion Efren "Bata" Reyes and Ronnie Alcano, bowler Biboy Rivera, and Asian Games gold medal winners Joan Tipon, Violito Payla, Antonio Gabica, and Rene Catalan. PBA 2005-06 Most Valuable Player (MVP) James Yap (pro basketball) lead the six honorees to be given major awards together with Ken Bono (amateur basketball), Juvic Pagunsan (golf), Jonathan B. Hernandez (horse racing) and Real Spicy (horse racing). Young golfers Dottie Ardina, Mia Legaspi, and Cyna Rodriguez, together with rising chess prodigy Wesley So, are the recipients of the Antonio Siddayao award, given to young promising athletes. Receiving the PSA Lifetime Achievement award during the two-hour ceremony that begins at 3 p.m. is former World Chess Federation (FIDE) president Florencio Campomanes. Eugene Torre, who became Asia's first grandmaster during the time of Campomanes' term at FIDE, will be elevated to the PSA Hall of Fame. Legendary golfer Ben Arda and two-time PSA president and former Manila Standard Today sports editor Bert Cuevas head the nine sports great and personalities who will be feted with a posthumous award by PSA, which is composed of sportswriters from the different national dailies and tabloids. And owing to a productive year that saw their athletes glowed in both the Asian and world levels, the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) and the Blliards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) have been named the Outstanding NSAs. The complete list of awardees: