Petecio, Villegas to receive recognition in SMC-PSA Awards Night

Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas, the two bronze medalists in the 2024 Paris Olympics, will be the recipients of special recognition at the 2024 San Miguel Corporation-Philippine Sportswriters Association (SMC-PSA) Awards Night, to be held on January 27 in the grand ballroom at the Manila Hotel.

Petecio and Villegas, who accounted for a pair of bronze medals during the Summer Games, will be recognized with the President’s Award by the Philippine Sportswriters Association.

Petecio emerged bronze winner in the women’s 57kg division, while Villegas secured the same medal in the 50 kg division.

The bronze was the second Olympic medal won by the 32-year-old Petecio, adding to the silver that she bagged in the 2020 edition of the Games in Tokyo. In doing so, she also became the first ever Filipino boxer to clinch back-to-back podium finishes in the quadrennial meet.

For the 29-year-old Villegas, it was a proud moment right in her Olympic debut as an underdog out of the compact five-man Philippine boxing team that competed.

Aside from the two fearless lady boxers, gymnast Carlos Yulo is going to be feted with the highest honor as 2024 Athlete of the Year, wherein he added to the two glittering gold medals that he won in securing the best ever showing for Team Philippines in a century of participation in the quadrennial Games.

According to PSA president Nelson Beltran, these Filipino athletes deserve high accolades for their own bright moments in the Paris Games, providing an extra push to the glorious Philippine performance. 

The honor roll also includes Executive of the Year, Major Awardees in other sports, Mr. Basketball both in the professional and amateur ranks, Ms. Volleyball, and the regular Tony Siddayao Awards for athletes aged 17-years-old and under.

Special recognition will also be given out to the Philippine Olympians and Paralympians, while another iconic Filipino athlete is set to be enshrined in the PSA Hall of Fame.