Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz is the recipient of a separate special award in the San Miguel Corporation-Philippine Sportswriters Association (SMC-PSA) Annual Awards Night on Monday at the grand ballroom of the Diamond Hotel.
Apart from her Athlete of the Year trophy, the 32-year-old Filipina weightlifter will be recognized with the Champion of Grit and Glory award courtesy of Milo.
The honor is in recognition of Diaz’s success and role in honing future champions through her weightlifting academy.
MILO will award Diaz with a trophy and a framed printed collage of her 55kg record during the gala night organized by the country’s oldest media organization headed by Rey Lachica, sports editor of Tempo, and presented by the Philippine Sports Commission and Cignal TV, and with the Philippine Olympic Committee, Mayor Abraham ‘Bambol’ Tolentino, MILO, Smart, MVP Sports Foundation, Rain or Shine, 1Pacman Rep. Mikee Romero, Philippine Basketball Association, OKBet, ICTSI, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation as major backers.
“The award also shows a representation of her shared vision with MILO in instilling the value of ‘pagpupursigi’ among young athletes and soon-to-be future champions,” read part of the award’s description.
At the same time, there will also be the traditional MILO Junior Athletes of the Year recognition to be handed out during the formal ceremony to be hosted by Sev Sarmenta and Rizza Diaz.
The nine young athletes who are going to be honored with the Tony Siddayao Awards are likewise named Junior Athletes of the Year by MILO.
The group is composed of William John Riley Go (karting), Aleia Aielle Aguilar (jiu-jitsu), Miguel Carlos (archery), Karl and Elaiza Yulo (gymnastics), Heleina Dominique So and Robert Dayanan Jr (karate), Micaela Jasmine Mojdeh (swimming), and the Philippine Junior chess team.
Medals will be given to the awardees.