VICTORIES in three different weight classes, including two title conquest and a dominant showing against one of boxing?s all-time greats.

All of these Manny Pacquiao achieved in a 12-month span, giving him a strong case as the leading pick for the year?s top athlete honor.

Actually, make that a no-contest.

The Philippine Sportswriters Association, the country?s oldest media organization, unanimously chose Pacquiao as its Athlete of the Year for 2008 following his success in the ring. He also elevated Philippine boxing to a higher level.

The 30-year-old boxing icon from General Santos City leads the finest sports personalities and entities of 2008 to be honored during the SMC-PSA Annual Awards Night on Feb. 20 at the Alegria Lounge of the Manila Pavilion Hotel.

This marks the fifth time the 60-year-old media group, consisting of editors and sportswriters from the various national broadsheets and tabloids, is bestowing its highest award to Pacquiao, counting the similar Athlete of the Year honor awarded to him in 2002-04 and 2006.

At the same time, the PSA is also elevating the four-time world champion to the Hall of Fame, making him the first Filipino athlete to be accorded such honor while still at the peak of his career.

Past PSA Hall of Famers included bowlers Paeng Nepomuceno and Bong Coo, basketball greats Caloy Loyzaga and Lauro Mumar, pro boxers Pancho Villa and Gabriel ?Flash? Elorde, amateur boxer Mansueto ?Onyok? Velasco, tracksters Lydia de Vega and Mona Sulaiman, swimmer Teofilo Yldefonso, tennis player Felicisimo Ampon, Asia?s first grandmaster Eugene Torre and golfers Ben Arda and Celestino Tugot.

?Manny Pacquiao has all the marks of a great athlete. While he?s still active fighting, he already deserves to be a Hall of Famer,? said PSA president Aldrin Cardona of the Daily Tribune.

Other candidates for the Athlete of the Year honor included the Women?s World Cup champion duo of Jennifer Rosales and Dorothy Delasin, young chess whiz Wesley So, wushu artist Willy Wang, boxer Nonito Donaire and golfers Angelo Que and Dottie Ardina.

The awards night is backed by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. as major sponsor and supported by Shakey?s, Accel, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Basketball Association, Philippine Basketball League, National Capital Region Athletic Association, International Container Terminal Services Inc., Smart, Purefoods, Ginebra, Ever Billena, Harbour Centre and Environment Secretary Lito Atienza.

The Filipino southpaw began the year with a bang, scoring a razor-thin split decision win over Mexican rival Juan Manuel Marquez in Las Vegas, Nevada, to wrest the World Boxing Council super featherweight belt.