Producing four world champions and the first Filipino to qualify in the London Olympics, there was no doubting Philippine sports in 2011 belonged to both billiards and boxing.
World No. 1 player Dennis Orcollo, and the tandem of Rubilen Amit and the great Efren `Bata’ Reyes kept the pool flame burning in the country, while youthful Eumir Marcial and Mark Anthony Barriga kept the country’s tradition as home to some of the world’s finest boxers.
For developing world class athletes on a consistent basis, both the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) and Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) share the distinction as the National Sports Associations (NSAs) of the Year by the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA).
On March 3 at the Manila Hotel, the two sports bodies will stand side by side when the PSA pays tribute to the top achievers of the year in its Annual Awards Night.
For the BSCP, it marked only the first time the federation will be honored with the award by the country’s sportswriting community composed of editors and sportswriters from the different national broadsheets and tabloids.
As one of the most active NSAs all-year round, ABAP will receive the award for the second time in a row under the leadership of chairman Manny V. Pangilinan and president Ricky Vargas, but its third in the last five years after likewise being bestowed of the title in 2006.
Since first handed out to the Philippine Taekwondo Association in 2004, only seven distinguished NSAs had received the award, including the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation (2005), Philippine Aquatics Sports Association (2007), Philippine Wushu Federation (2008), and the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (2009).
“The award is a testament to the BSCP and ABAP’s commitment to continue developing sports heroes for the country,” said Rey Bancod of Tempo, president of the oldest media organization in the country responsible for taking the lead in honoring Filipino athletes during its yearly awards rite presented by Smart, ICTSI, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Milo, Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), Harbour Centre, SM Prime Holdings, and Coca-Cola.
Vice-President Jejomar Binay is the guest of honor and keynote speaker during the formal, two-hour bash.
Orcollo, who shares the coveted Athlete of the Year honor with reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) super-bantamweight title holder Nonito Donaire Jr., won the 8-ball championship by routing Neils Feijen of the Netherlands in the finals, 10-3, at the Fujairah Exhibition Center in United Arab Emirates .
The 32-year-old former fisherman-turned-world champion then added to his collection the eight-ball gold medal of the 26th Southeast Asian Games, where lady cue artist Irish Ranola accounted for the other two gold medals of billiards.
Orcollo ended the season as the Player of the Year by the World Pool and Billiard Association (WPA) and finished as the top player in the world rankings.
Reyes and Amit, meanwhile, renewed their partnership and dealt the American duo of Johnny Archer and Jeanette Lee a 10-6 beating in retaining the World Mixed Doubles Championship in Hangzhou , China .
Marcial on the other hand, became the first ever Filipino to win a gold medal in the AIBA Junior World Boxing Championship in Kazakhstan, outclassing Onat Cengiz of Turkey in the 52 kg final, 9-7.
Barriga failed to win a medal of any color in the AIBA World Championship in Baku , Azerbaijan , but the quirks of an AIBA rule allowed him to book a berth in the 2012 London Games despite only reaching the Round-of-16 of the world tournament.
The Filipino boxers actually saved their best for last as they accounted for four gold medals in the Indonesia SEA Games courtesy of lady warriors Josie Gabuco and Alice Kate Aparri and male counterparts Charly Suarez and Dennis Galvan.[PNA]
