Batang Pinoy, wagi sa Karate Int’l
HUMAKOT ng kabuuang 36 medalya, tampok ang 12 ginto ang Team Philippines upang tanghaling overall Champion sa katatapos na 37th Karate-do Gojukai Singapore International Championships sa Singapore Badminton Hall. Nag-uwi ng tig-dalawang ginto sina Adam Bondoc, Krisanta Renzel Asistido at Matthea Lazo para pangunahan ang matikas na kampanya ng Pinoy karatekas mula sa Association for the Advancement of Karate-do Philippines (AAK Philippines).
Sumabak ang atletang Pinoy sa torneo na nilahukan ng 150 karatekas mula sa 13 karate schools/club mula sa pitong bansa.
Nakopo ni Bondoc, grade 11 student sa Xavier School, Greenhills, ang gintong medalya sa juniors 16-17 Individual Kata at Kumite; nadomina ni Asistido ang cadet 14-15 Individual Kata at Cadet 52 kg. Kumite; habang nagwagi si Lazo sa 11-13 Individual Kata at Kumite class.
“It was a great honor for the Philippines to have gotten these medals. We are proud of the young athletes that we have trained in AAK and we are hoping to create more,” pahayag ni Shihan Pocholo Veguillas, founder ng AAK Philippines.
“I’m very proud of how our young athletes performed during the competition. I was a witness of how they trained and I was very pleased to see them in action in Singapore. With karatedo having been included as an official sports in the Olympics, we wish to raise more awareness on the sport and develop good athletes with the values that this sport instills,” pahayag naman ni Richard Lim, head coach ng AAK Philippine Team.
Ang iba pang gold medal winners ay sina Nicole Erika Dantes (Grade 11, Colegio San Agustin) sa 16 - 17 years old individual Kumite; Renzo Tomas (Grade 9, OB Montessori Manila) sa 14-15 years old Individual Kata; Paulo Manuel Gorospe (Grade 3, Xavier School, Greenhills) sa 7-8 yrs old boys individual Kata; Ashley Eunice Dantes (Grade 3, Colegio San Agustin) sa 7-10 years old girls Individual Kata;Lucas Lagunzad (Grade 4, University of the Philippines Integrated School) sa 9-10 years old Kumite; at Sebastien Niel Manalac (Grade 4, St. Mary’s College Quezon City) sa 7 - 8 years old boys Individual Kumite.
Nagwagi rin ng medalya sina Kenshin John Reales (silver, 14-15 Kata), John Daniel Cancela (silver, 12-13 Kata and Kumite); Victoria Isabel Arnedo (silver, 7-10 Kata and Kumite); Kiara Ysabel Gorrospe (silver in 14-15 kata and bronze in Kumite); Joan Denise Lumbao (silver, 11-13 Kata and bronze in Kumite);
Raymond Akira Sanvictores ( silver, 7- 8 Kata at bronze sa Kumite);
Oliver Neil Manalac (silver, +67 kgs. Senior kumite); Maria Raphaela Nabaza (bronze in 14-15 Kata and Kumite); Maria Michaela Nabaza (bronze, 14-15 Kata); Emman Luis Dantes (bronze, 14-15 Kata); Emmanuel Kairus Sarmiento (bronze, 12-13 Kata);
Nathaniel Paul Montiel (bronze, 9-10 Kata); Rodrigo Javier Arnedo (bronze 7-8 Kata); at Maryanne Jenelle Yabut-Montalvo (bronze, 61 kgs. Female Seniors Kumite).