THOMASIAN BIBOY Rivera, 2006 Masters World Bowling Champion, led this year’s honorees of the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Awards given out last Jan. 18 at the SM Mall of Asia Entertainment Hall.
Rivera, who bagged the Masters gold medal in Busan, South Korea last September, won the Athlete of the Year honor, alongside boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, world billiard champions Efren “Bata” Reyes and Ronnie Alcano, and 15th Asian Games gold medalists Antonio Gabica (billiards), Violito Payla (boxing) and Rene Catalan (wushu).
“I am very thankful and fulfilled because I really worked my way to win the gold medal and be a world champion,” Rivera said.
The PSA distinction was a fitting reward for the 32-year-old old Rivera, who suited up for the world championships despite nursing a left knee patella injury. Against the vastly favored Achim Grabowski of Germany, he knocked down all pins for a perfect 300, only the 13th time in the history of the tournament that the feat was achieved.
PSA president Jimmy Cantor of Malaya lauded Rivera’s comeback as well as the feat of the other athlete-honorees.
“Filipino athletes not only have the skills, but moreover, the will to win against all odds,” Cantor told the Varsitarian. “They can accept being hit and bruised, because in the long run, they would always have the courage to get back and propel themselves to victory.”
A citation was also given to UST Taekwondo and RP team standout Tshomlee Go, who secured the -52kg division silver medal during the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar last December. Go, however, was not present to accept his award because of a training session in Korea.
The RP wushu team, where former UST trackster Janice Hung was a member, was also given a citation for finishing not lower than 10th in the Doha Asian Games.
A special award was also given to UST Journalism alumnus Recah Trinidad for his “unparalleled contribution” to Philippine sports as a sports writer and columnist. Trinidad wrote and published last year the best-selling book, Pacific Storm: Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines.
The late Manila Standard Sports editor Bert Cuevas, another UST alumnus, was given a posthumous award.
The PSA, which was founded in 1949 and which claims to be the country’s oldest media organization, is composed of sportswriters from the daily broadsheets and tabloids. It holds the awards annually to recognize Filipino athletes and sports aficionados who bannered the country in international competitions such as the Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games, and Asean Paralympics.
