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Pinay athletes take center stage in Women in Sports Awards

ABS-CBN News

<div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">MANILA -- Filipina athletes will be celebrated in the inaugural Women in Sports Awards on March 20 at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Over 50 major awardees -- both in individual and team sports -- will be feted in the event organized by the Philippine Commission for Women and Philippine Sports Commission, coinciding with the celebration of International Women’s Month.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">&quot;This is our way of paying homage to our national women athletes who did their flag and country proud in 2023. They are shining examples of what women’s empowerment is all about,&quot; said PSC Commissioner Olivia &quot;Bong&quot; Coo.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Among those who will be honored as &quot;Flame Awardees&quot; are Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo, volleyball superstar Alyssa Valdez, skateboarder Margielyn Diaz, billiards icon Rubilen Amit, and mountain climber Carina Dayondon.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/171083728268120231002-asian-games-weightlifting-diaz-POC-4.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Hidilyn Diaz successfully lifts first attempt in snatch at 63 kgs in women’s 59 kgs class of weightlifting at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou on October 2, 2023. PSC-POC Media/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Hidilyn Diaz successfully lifts first attempt in snatch at 63 kgs in women’s 59 kgs class of weightlifting at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou on October 2, 2023. <em>PSC-POC Media/File</em></span></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">&quot;Hidilyn, Margielyn, Alyssa, Rubilen and Carina have been the paragons of passion and dedication, inspiring legions of fans while motivating others in pursuing careers in their respective disciplines,&quot; said Coo.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Diaz-Naranjo made history in 2021 when she won the country&#x27;s first ever Olympic gold by ruling the women&#x27;s 55kg division in weightlifting. She has since built a training center for aspiring weightlifters in Jala-Jala, Rizal, and is targeting another Olympic appearance in Paris later this year. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Valdez will be recognized for her contributions to the growth of volleyball, while Didal will be honored for her gold medal in the 18th Asian Games in Palembang, Indonesia as well as her Olympic stint in Tokyo where she captured hearts with her energy and positivity. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Amit is a multiple SEA Games gold medalist on top of being a two-time world 10 ball champion, and aims to leave her own legacy by organizing the Amit Cup series in search of aspiring billiards talents. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Dayondon has been an inspiration for local mountain climbers for becoming the first Filipina to conquer all &quot;Seven Summits&quot; of the world, including Mount Everest in Asia and Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa.   </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Meanwhile, tennis sensation Alex Eala and top Filipinas striker Sarina Bolden are the joint Athletes of the Year of the inaugural Women in Sports Awards.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/171083730430420230725-fifa-filipinas-new-zealand-AFP.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Philippines&#x27; forward #07 Sarina Bolden celebrates scoring her team&#x27;s first goal during the Australia and New Zealand 2023 Women&#x27;s World Cup Group A football match between New Zealand and the Philippines at Wellington Stadium, also known as Sky Stadium, in Wellington on July 25, 2023. Marty Melville, AFP/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Philippines&#x27; forward #07 Sarina Bolden celebrates scoring her team&#x27;s first goal during the Australia and New Zealand 2023 Women&#x27;s World Cup Group A football match between New Zealand and the Philippines at Wellington Stadium, also known as Sky Stadium, in Wellington on July 25, 2023. <em>Marty Melville, AFP/File</em></span></span></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">A winner of the Australian and French Open junior doubles plums and a US Open junior singles crown in 2022, the globe-hopping Eala highlighted her flourishing career with a pair of bronze medals in the women’s singles and mixed doubles in the 19th Hangzhou Asian Games last October.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Bolden has been the offensive linchpin of the Filipinas over the last six years, appearing in 44 international matches and scoring 28 goals since making her debut with the national women’s football team in 2018. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">&quot;The decision to award both Eala and Bolden as Athletes of the Year was quite unanimous. Both are deserving of recognition for not only making us proud of their achievements but also for serving as positive role models as Filipina athletes,&quot; said Coo.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The awardees were nominated by the national sports associations under the Philippine Olympic Committee and went through a stringent selection process by the five-man judges panel. Stephen Fernandez of the Philippine Olympians Association, Nikko Huelgas of the POC Athletes Commission, Judith Staples of Masters Athletics, Carlo Sampan of Milo Philippines and Judith Caringal from the sports media comprise the judges panel, which made sure that all awardees are deserving.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/171083732720420230925-asian-games-tennis-alex-eala-POC4.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Filipina tennis star Alex Eala in action in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. PSC-POC Media/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Filipina tennis star Alex Eala in action in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. <em>PSC-POC Media/File</em></span></span></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">After a series of thorough deliberations among the judges, the awardees were chosen from the list of nearly 200 nominees across 78 sports based on their contribution to the promotion and development of their sport apart from being the top woman achiever in their sport last year.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">A total of 46 major awards will also be distributed to athletes in various disciplines, five Flame Awards and seven Lifetime Achieve Awards, which will be given to past athletic performers whose sterling legacies are worth recalling until today. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Lifetime Achievement Awardees are bowler Olivia &quot;Bong&quot; Coo, track and field standouts Elma Muros-Posadas, Erlinda Lavandia and the late  Lydia de Vega, back-to-back Asian Games 100-meter sprint queen, powerlifter Adeline Dumapong and gymnast and taekwondo jin Bea Lucero-Lhuillier.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Special citations will also be given out to National Academy of Sports executive director Joy Reyes, noted trainer-nutritionist Veronica Cruz, nutritionist Jeaneth Aro, sports psychologist Karen Trinidad, sportscaster Dyan Castillejo and Women in Sports Advocate Sen. Pia Cayetano. </span></div>

<p>Filipina athletes will be celebrated in the inaugural Women in Sports Awards on March 20 at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.</p>

Filipina athletes will be celebrated in the inaugural Women in Sports Awards on March 20 at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.