PSA fetes iconic figures

FIVE leading figures who played a major part in shaping Philippine sports will be feted with a Lifetime Achievement Award in the San Miguel Corporation-Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) 2025 Awards Night on 16 February at the Diamond Hotel Manila.

The choices of the country’s oldest media organization under its president Francis TJ Ochoa, sports editor of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, as Lifetime Achievers include the celebrated 1991 Philippine Davis Cup team, boxing’s beloved Elorde family, officiating guru Romeo “Romy” Guevara, former commissioner and current weightlifting president Monico Puentevella, and Woman National Master Milagros “Mila” Emperado.

The quintet is the latest batch to be recognized with the special honor to be given out during the formal gala night co-presented by the Philippine Sports Commission with ArenaPlus.

In the last five years, recipients of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the PSA include Efren “Bata” Reyes, the late sports patron Eduardo ‘Danding’ Cojuangco, former Gintong Alay executive director Joey Romasanta, former Philippine Basketball Association commissioner Sonny Barrios, basketball legends Sonny Jaworski, Ramon Fernandez, Allan Caidic, and Samboy Lim, champion coaches Dante Silverio, Turo Valenzona and Joe Lipa, along with track and field great Elma Muros-Posadas.

Heading the list of the 2025 honor roll are Olympic double gold medalists Carlos Yulo and young tennis sweetheart Alex Eala, who will be distinguished as the Male and Female Athletes of the Year in the two-hour celebration backed by major supporters Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, Cignal, Premier Volleyball League, Philippine Basketball Association, Akari, Rain or Shine, Capital1 Solar Energy and Acrocity.

Led by the talented trio of Felix Barrientos, Roland So and Camoy Palahang, the Philippine Davis Cup team defied the odds by advancing to the World Group qualifier after beating world powerhouse Japan in the quarterfinals and routing China in the semifinals.

The team however, fell against Sweden for a spot in the World Group — the highest level of Davis Cup competition. Although without the former world No. 1 Stefan Edberg, the stacked up Swedish team was composed of world-ranked players Nicklas Kulti, Magnus Larsson, Christian Bergstrom and Rikard Bergh.