MANILA, Philippines -- World championship medalists Carlos Yulo and EJ Obiena, along with the Philippine national women's football team, will receive major awards at the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Awards Night next month.
Yulo clinched a silver and bronze in the men's vault and parallel bars during the 51st FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Liverpool England, while Obiena vaulted to a new Asian-high mark of 5.94 meters on his way to bagging a historic bronze in the World Athletics Championships in Oregon.
The Filipinas, meanwhile, are coming off a historic 2022 where they clinched a spot in the FIFA Women's World Cup after a semifinal appearance in the AFC Women's Asian Cup in India.
Twelve others will receive major awards in the gala night, set for March 6 at the Diamond Hotel.
In the mix with Yulo, Obiena, and Filipinas are boxer Carlo Paalam, jui-jitsu bets Meggie Ochoa and Kimberly Anne Custodio, karateka Junna Tsukii, pool players Rubilen Amit, Carlo Biado, and Johann Chua, weightlifter Vanessa Sarno, the volleyball duo of Jovelyn Gonzaga and Sisi Rondina, esports organization Blacklist International, jockey Jessie Guca, and champion horse Boss Emong.
The country's first-ever Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz is the recipient of the coveted Athlete of the Year award for the second straight time.
Aside from his World Championship stint, Yulo, 22 also won three gold medals in the 9th Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Doha, Qatar, following his first place finishes in the vault, parallel bars, and floor exercise, while adding a silver in the all-around. The feat enabled him to earn an outright berth in the World Artistic Gymnastics.
The Filipino gymnast also emerged as the most bemedalled athlete of Team Philippines in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam with five golds won in artistic all-around, floor exercise, still rings, vault, and horizontal bar.
Obiena also topped a number of pole vault tournaments in Europe and retained his gold in the Vietnam SEA Games by setting a new meet record of 5.46 meters at the My Dinh National Stadium.
The Filipinas added to their FIFA World Cup ticket a first ever title in the Asean Football Federation Women's Championship, which they ruled following a 3-0 shutout of four-time champion Thailand in the gold medal play.