Contrasting fate
Miyuki Tacay wins karatedo gold, brod Rexor gets hurt
CEBU CITY - While Miyuki Tacay of Davao City relished her senior women's -68 kilogram gold Wednesday, the celebration turned to grief as her elder brother Rexor, also a member of the national karatedo team, succumbed to injury during his senior men's -67 kgs quarterfinals match yesterday of the Philippine National Games (PNG) 2018 karatedo competition at the SM Seaside Sky Hall here.
The 25-year-old Rexor, who just recently won a gold in the 15th SBY Cup International Indonesia Karate Open, did not compete in the semifinals anymore after talks with his elder brother Bern, medical team and karatedo officials who assured him of his slot to the upcoming Asian Games 2018 in Indonesia.
He defeated Jude Michael Uson of Dagupan City in the quarterfinals. The latter grabbed a 3-0 lead but Rexor crawled back into the match despite the pain he was enduring after his knee got hurt when trying to take down Uson, whose early lead went to waste due to the fouls he committed.
Rexor cried while seated at the medical team section where a doctor put ice on his injured knee while Bern was talking to him and Miyuki, other karatedo executives and teammates in the Philippine karatedo team tried to comfort him.
Bern, in an interview with Sun.Star Davao via Facebook live, said: "It's a suspected ACL tear. The doctor wanted to give him a chance to play and just stop if he could not continue anymore. But I talked to him and he told me, `Masakit man masyado kuya', so hindi na talaga pwede. Tutal assured naman syang maglaro sa Asian Games, mas mahirap kung pipilitin pa nyang maglaro."
The elder Tacay was seen wiping his tears away upon seeing the condition of Rexor who was grimacing in pain during the last game he played.
Rexor, for his part, said he could not remember how he got injured. "Wala ko kabalo kay basta sa dula adrenalin siguro, gamove ko by instinct basta na-feel nako naipit akong tuhod og naay ni-crack, kabalo nako delikado najud kasya tong dati (I didn't know how I got hurt because I was fighting by instinct and I heard a crack, that's when I realized it was more serious than the last time)."
He shared having been injured last PNG 2014 but there was no cracking that time.
"Gipilit lang nako mahuman ang match. When the match was ongoing, counter-counter lang ko kay naa naman syay fouls og hapit na mahuman ang oras. Gusto lang nako ipakita sa tanang karatista being part of the national team, kailangang buo ang loob (I just endured all throughout the match. I just countered him knowing that he already has fouls and time was running out. I wanted to show karatekas that a national
team member has a fighting heart)," he said in a separate interview, adding that he would had wanted to continue playing and defend his title but the Asian Games was more important.
He will undergo tests including MRI and rehabilitation. Miyuki, also a gold medalist in Indonesia, edged Darlyn Ferrer of Mandaluyong City, 1-0, in their championship match.
"I'm happy I won in PNG seniors since last 2014 sa juniors ako nag gold. Pero malungkot din para kay Kuya Rexor kasi expect namin syang manalo. Nakita nyo naman sa performance nya. Para sa amin, sya parin ang champion," Miyuki said.
She then urged Rexor to bounce back in the Asian Games, recover and rest well.
She and the rest of the PNG karatedo champions will hold camp in Japan in preparation for the Asian Games. But Miyuki said she will join the training but won't be playing in the Asiad yet.