MANILA, Philippines&mdashWushu’s Olympic gold (special event) medalists and the owner of an amateur basketball squad that rewrote history in the Philippine Basketball League will
get a chance to bask in the limelight anew. To be feted during the San Miguel-PSA Annual Awards night along with the country’s Beijing Olympians are wushu athletes who won medals in a special international competition held during the Beijing Olympics: Willy Wang (gold), Marian Mariano (bronze), Benjie Rivera (bronze) and Mary Jane Estimar (silver). Despite bombing out in the quadrennial Games, the members of the Philippine team to the Beijing Olympics are to be feted by the Philippine Sportswriters Association on Feb. 20 at the Alegria Lounge of the Manila Pavilion. Citations will be given to boxer Harry Ta&ntildeamor, taekwondo-jins Mary Antoinette Rivero and Tshomlee Go, divers Sheila Mae Perez and Ryan Rexel Fabriga, shooter Eric Ang, weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, tracksters Henry Dagmil and Marestella Torres, archer Mark Javier and swimmers Miguel Molina, Ryan Arabejo, Daniel Coakley, James Walsh and Christel Simms. World lightweight champion Manny Pacquiao heads the 59 sports honorees as 2008 Athlete of the Year and Hall of Fame inductee. The 11 major awardees are World Cup of Golf champions Jennifer Rosales and Dorothy Delasin, Kelly Williams (pro basketball), Nonito Donaire (pro boxing), Wesley So (chess), Willy Wang (wushu), Dennis Orcollo (billiards), Angelo Que and Dottie Ardina (golf), jockey Jonathan Hernandez and horses Ibarra and Go Army. Awards Night backers: Villar Foundation, Sen. Francis Escudero, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Shakey’s, Accel, PBA, PBL, NCRAA, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Samahan ng Basketbol ng Pilipinas, Purefoods, Ginebra, Alaska, Sta. Lucia Realty, Rain or Shine, Ever Bilena, Harbour, Liga Pilipinas, Environment Secretary Lito Atienza, Pharex, Games and Amusements Board and Mighty Sports Association.
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