PSA cites Standard Insurance athletes in Awards Night

Bemedalled athletes backed by Standard Insurance are among those to be honored during the annual Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Awards Night presented by San Miguel Beer and Milo on Feb. 13 at the Le Pavillon.

Top Filipina triathlete Monica Torres and the Standard Insurance Centennial Sailing Team lead the list of athletes and entities to be cited during the gala night also co-presented by Cignal/Hyper HD for excelling in their respective fields.

Torres, the veteran triathlete from Subic Bay, remained as the undefeated Filipina in the Ironman 70.3 race for the eighth consecutive year.

In last year ’ s Cobra Ironman 70.3 Philippines Asia Pacific Championship, Torres clocked 21 minutes faster than the second-placed foreign participant, who is ranked eighth overall among the elite women racers, including some of the world’s best.

Torres, who’s won numerous titles since 2009, defeated Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Claire Adorna in the elite women division in last year’s Tri United 2 in Zambales.

She was also the overall women champion during the Tri La Union held in San Fernando town last March and finished second during the Milo Marathon 21K eliminations in Tarlac.

Meanwhile, Standard Insurance Centennial Sailing team representing the Philippines, successfully defended its title last year during the DBS Marina Match Racing International Regatta by handily beating 11 other international teams in Singapore.

The sailing team is composed of SEA Games skipper and gold medalist Allan Balladares and team members Teodorico Asejo, Rommel Chavez, Richly Magsanay, Joel Majarito, and Harry Kim Lumapas.

The Centennial, skippered by Philippine Sailing Association president Judes Echauz, finished second overall in the Volvo China Coast Regatta and 10th China Cup International Regatta 2016 in Hong Kong.

The 17-man all-Filipino crew is composed of Balladares, SEA Games silver medalist Emerson Villena as helmsmen and Standard Insurance IT executive Stephen Tan as team manager and tactician.