Filipina figure skaters ready for Hong Kong tournament
CHARMAINE Skye Chua hopes to perform well in the 2017 Asian Open Figure Skating Trophy competition in Hong Kong.
She and fellow skaters Skye Frances Patenia, Kate Orrock and Veronica Clare Eid will leave on Tuesday to compete in the August 2-5 tournament at the Megabox in Kwun Tong.
Chua, a Grade 8 student at Saint Jude Catholic School, will see action in the Advanced Novice category. Patenia was entered in budgetary and scheme
With the theme, “Coolest Palaro”, the presentation will highlight Baguio and Benguet’s year-round temperate climate, the Novice B category while Orrock and Ei are competing in the Novice A category.
"I expect this tournament to be challenging because we are going against skaters from different countries that probably trained better then the skaters from the Philippines. I will try my best," said 14-yearold Chua in an online interview on Monday.
The best skaters from Japan, South Korea, China, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Kazakhstan, Australia, New Zealand, bar the moment Capote arrived.
But one can’t detract from the fact that Capote, like Mailer, was also—still is—one of the greatest writers of his era.
I’ve seen Mailer in the flesh when he came here to cover the Ali-Frazier “Fight of The Century” on Oct. 1, 1975.
He wanted to write a sequel to his book about the Ali-Foreman “Rumble in the Jungle” classic in Kinshasha, Zaire the year earlier.
He was also in Zaire when Ali stopped Foreman in the eighth round, after Ali stayed in the ropes for his famous “rope-a-dope” weapon lasting seven rounds.
Mailer, a famed womanizer, was with a young girl—maybe half his age—when he came for the Ali-Frazier fight.
He introduced the girl to Recah Trinidad and me at the Araneta Coliseum, venue of the AliFrazier classic won by Ali via a 14th-round TKO.
Mailer’s book, “The Fight,” remains the best read on the Ali-Frazier encounter that had no equal in brutality and courage.
I read sometime ago that some genes are connected to lying, in effect making lying hereditary. Woe is the kid with lying parents. And why am I into the lying thing today? There is this lie being spread around that both SJ Belangel and Kai Sotto, generally acknowledged as the future anchors of Ateneo basketball, are protégés of MVP (Manny V. Pangilinan).
In fairness to MVP, he knows not a thing about this canard.
The truth of the matter is, Arben Santos has been shepherding the basketball careers of Belangel and Sotto—very, very quietly.
That has been typical of Arben, the quiet man behind the careers of such past PBA stars like Enrico Villanueva and Richie Alvarez, and current PBA stars like Fonacier and Tenorio, to name but a few.
And, look at this: Arben doesn’t receive a single centavo in all his dealings with his players. He just loves to help—with nothing in return. If that’s not incredibly awesome, what is? Push pa more, Arben. unique culture, vibrant arts and sports scene, tourist sites, peace and order situation, adequate facilities, world-class accommodations, and others. Roderick Osis India and Hong Kong will join the tournament sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU) and the Asian Skating Union (ASU).
The Philippines has competed in the tournament last year but failed to bring home any medal.
Chua, Orrock and Patenia are medallists in the South East Asian (SEA) Figure Skating Challenge held at the SM Seaside City skating rink in Cebu last June.
Chua bagged the gold medal and Patenia took the bronze medal in the Basic Novice B category while Orrock ruled the Basic Novice A category.
The tournament in Cebu City was the third leg of the SEA Challenge. The first leg was held from December 24, campaign.
“I know that this is my chance to get back on track,” the Manilabased athlete says. “Of course, my dream is to win a world championship in ONE, but I know that it will not be easy, especially if I do not win my next fight.”
After prevailing in his first nine matches in impressive fashion, the former Philippines’ wushu national team member met Honorio Banario for the inaugural ONE featherweight world championship in February 2013. An eye injury in the fourth round led to him respectfully bowing out, and caused the belt to slip from his hands.
Though he stood victorious in his next three bouts, his title hopes were once again dashed when Ev Ting submitted him via guillotine choke at ONE: Clash of Heroes in January 2016. Later that July, former titleholder Narantungalag Jadambaa knocked him out in 44 seconds to hand him another devastating setback.
Kelly felt like his losses to Ting and Jadambaa were God’s way of reminding him that he was not invincible.
“I really believe in Karma,” the humbled Igorot explains. “I know that I lost focus in my career. I let my 2016 in Bangkok, Thailand where Chua won the silver.
Chua, who has been a member of the Metro Ice Club since she was nine years old, won the gold medal in the second leg held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from April 13-15, 2017. She is also a gold winner in the Freestyle Level 1 category in the 2012 Skate Asia tournament.
Orrock won the gold medal in the Basic Pre Novice category in the 2015 Asian Junior Figure Skating Challenge in Hong Kong.
Eid (Pre Juvenile Primary) and Patenia (Basic Novice A) are medal winners in the 2015 Philippine National Figure Skating Championships in Pasay City two years ago. PNA short term success get to my head, I fought for the wrong reasons, and I even went back to my old vices. I think Karma caught up with me, and handed me those losses.”
Taking his setbacks as lessons learned, Kelly is a man on a mission. He is training in Manila with his own team of people, including benefactor Chef Ro, and taking care of his body. In fact, he has remained in shape for months, in anticipation of his next call-up. That came in June, and he immediately amped up his training to get in full fighting shape.
Kelly is so determined, he’s prepared to do whatever it takes. “Even if I cannot work out and I get stuck in a place with no equipment, I can improvise and create my own workout session,” he says.
The competitor dubbed “The Natural” claims he even designs his own training plan, and tries to arrange sparring and training sessions with several gyms whenever he has the opportunity.
“I am thankful and blessed that gyms here in Manila, and in Baguio, welcome me with open arms,” said the FIlipino. He will need all that training if he wants to defeat Boku, who is also aiming for a title shot in his quest to conquer a second weight class.
Japan’s Boku made his promotional debut at ONE: Rise of Kings in October 2012, where he knocked out Zorobabel Moreira to capture the inaugural lightweight world championship. However, he lost the belt in his first title defense to Shinya Aoki six months later, and after mixed results in the lightweight division, he also felt the need to turn things around.
After moving down to featherweight and sharpening his techniques at the Krazy Bee gym, the 40-year-old is reenergized. He has won four of his last five matches, and seems livelier than ever.
Though both competitors are hungry to move forward in their careers, Kelly is just thankful to finally compete once again.
“Of course a victory is the best reward,” he begins. “But as a fighter, I think all our hard work in training will pay off when we actually get to fight in the cage.”
The road back to the championship will be long, but Kelly is determined to take the first step towards it with a win in Macao. ONE PR