A pair of young world champions will be among those to be honored by the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) during its Annual Awards Night presented by Coca-Cola at the Manila Hotel on March 1.

Teen powerlifter Patricia Llena and youthful golfer Carlos Philippe Winsett Palanca are the year’s recipients of the Tony Siddayao Youth award.

Named after the late Standard sports editor, widely-acknowledged as the Dean of Philippine sportswriting, the award is given to deserving Filipino athletes who already showed potential even at a young age.

The 15-year old Llena, the pride of San Antonio, Nueva Ecija, won three gold medals and a bronze in the World Sub-Junior and Junior Powerlifting Championships in Sao, Paulo,

Brazil, while Palanca, 7, and grandson of sportsman Honey Boy Palanca, bested 22 players from 12 countries to become the first Filipino champion of the US Kids Golf European Championship in Kilspindie, Scotland.

Chess whiz Wesley So, golfers Dottie Ardina and Marcel Puyat, and rising basketball star Norberto Torres were some of the past winners of the Siddayao youth award.

Llena and Palanca are expected to share centerstage together with the best and brightest in local sports in the year that past during the formal but simple rite also presented by Smart, Pacific Online System Corporation, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Harbour Centre and PCSO.

For the first time in the 61-year history of the country’s oldest media organization, an all-female list comprised the winner of the prestigious Athlete of the Year award led by pool player Rubilen Amit, trackters Marestella Torres and taekwondo jins Cecille Alarilla, Janice Lagman and Rani Ann Ortega.

Not to be missed by the Philippine sportswriting fraternity is boxing hero Manny Pacquiao, who will be feted with the Athlete of the Decade award.

Meanwhile, boxing women’s champion Annie Albania banners the 19 personalities to be given with a major award during the ceremony where President Macapagal-Arroyo has been invited as the special guest of honor.

Joining Albania as major awardees are Barangay Ginebra’s JayJay Helterbrand (pro basketball), Wesley So (chess), Joel Calderon (cycling), Efren ‘Bata’ Reyes and Francisco

‘Django’ Bustamante (billiards), Chihiro Ikeda and Elmer Salvador (golf), Arniel Ferreira (track and field), John Baylon (judo), Cecil Mamiit and Francis Casey Alcantara (tennis), jockey Jesus B. Guce and Don Enrico (horseracing) and Brian Viloria, Donnie Nietes, Nonito Donaire Jr., Marvin Sonsona and Rodel Mayol (pro boxing).

The 38 gold medal winners in the last Southeast Asian Games in Laos are also to be honored with a special award, while the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (Patafa) is the hands down choice as NSA of the Year.

ATHLETE OF THE DECADE
Manny Pacquiao

ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
Rubilyn Amit, Marestella Torres, Rani Ann Ortega, Janice Lagman, and Camille Alarilla

MAJOR AWARDEES
Arniel Ferreira (athletics),  Jayjay Helterbrand (basketball), Rodel Mayol (pro boxing), Donnie Nietes (pro boxing), Brian Viloria (pro boxing), Nonito Donaire Jr. (pro boxing), Marvin Sonsona (pro boxing), Annie Albania (amateur boxing), Efren “Bata” Reyes (billiards), Francisco “Django” Bustamante (billiards),Wesley So (chess), Joel Calderon (cycling),  Elmer Salvador (men’s golf), Chihiro Ikeda (women’s golf), John Baylon (judo), Cecil Mamiit (tennis), Francis Casey Alcantara (tennis), Jesse B. Guce (Jockey of the Year), Don Enrico (Horse of the Year).