NANINIWALA si longtime sports patron Ramon S. Ang na handa ang bansa na mag-uwi ng mas maraming ginto sa darating na Paris Olympics kasabay ng pagbibigay-pugay niya sa lahat ng Filipino athletes, partikular yaong mga pinarangalan sa katatapos na Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Awards Night.
Tinanggap ni Ang, San Miguel Corporation (SMC) President and Chief Executive Officer, ang kanyang ikalawang PSA Executive of the Year award at sa pagkakataong ito ay kasalo niya si Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC) Chairman and President Manny V. Pangilinan makaraang magbigay-daan ang kanilang partnership sa Asiad basketball gold.
Aniya, ang darating na OIympiad ang ika-100 taon ng partisipasyon ng Pilipinas sa quadrennial meet kung saan sisikapin ng bansa na maduplika ang tagumpay ni gold-winning weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz sa Tokyo Games.
“Everything is possible when all the country’s stakeholders work together. It was just three years ago when Hidilyn Diaz shone in Tokyo for our first gold in the Olympics. And just last year, we grabbed the Asian Games gold in basketball that eluded us for 60 years. So I think another breakthrough is possible,” sabi ni Ang.
“That gold medal was the result of the hard work and effort of not just the players and coaching staff, but most especially, MVP himself. The Gilas Pilipinas program is really his brainchild, and without his vision, commitment, and patriotism to see the program through all these years, we probably would not have a champion Gilas team,” aniya.
Sa imbitasyon ni Pangilinan, sinuportahan ni Ang ang co-hosting ng bansa sa FIBA Basketball World Cup.
“I thank the PSA for the honor and dedicate it to the Gilas Pilipinas team who worked so hard to bring home the gold medal in the face of tough odds,” sabi ni Ang, na unang ginawaran ng PSA Executive of the Year Award noong 2017.
Dagdag pa niya, “I hope the amazing feat of Philippine basketball team will also inspire our athletes to go for more gold medals in Paris.”
Pinangunahan ni Olympian at pole vaulter EJ Obiena ang mga pinarangalan sa annual awards ng pinakamatagal na sportswriting organization sa bansa.
Kinilala rin ang Philippine Women’s Football team Filipinas, at sina Asian Games gold medalists Meggie Ochoa at Annie Ramirez, June Mar Fajardo (Mr. Basketball), Tots Carlos (Ms. Volleyball), Sarina Bolden (Ms. Football), at Alex Eala (Ms. Tennis).
Bilang pagpupugay sa Olympic medal winners sa Tokyo, si Ang ay nagkaloob ng P22 million na incentives, kabilang ang P10 million kay weightlifter Diaz. Tumanggap din sina boxers Carlo Paalam at Nesthy Petecio ng tig-P5 million sa pagwawagi ng silver medals habang binigyan si Eumir Marcial ng P2 million para sa kanyang bronze medal feat.
CLYDE MARIANO
