PARTICIPATION in the local qualification tournament of the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games is drawing a huge following and a lot of interest from fans and enthusiasts alike.
Because of this, there could be more entries from the Philippines when action begins from Sept. 17 to 27 in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
Chef de mission, Makati representative Monsour Del Rosario, along with his assistant chef de mission Raymund Lee Reyes of karate, made this known as they prepared for the Pre-AIMAG tournament at the end of the month.
“When we posted on social media on the event, ang daming players and fighters from the provinces na gustong sumali,” said del Rosario.
Del Rosario and Reyes discussed the staging of the tournament yesterday during the weekly PSA Forum at the Golden Phoenix Hotel in Pasay City.
The pre-tournament competition will feature sports like kickboxing, Kurash, sambo, belt wrestling and traditional wrestling.
It will be held from May 29 to June 2 at the Harrison Plaza Mall, Manila.
“There fighters who are are 40 years and old more who want to join. They want to be there for the experience,” said del Rosario.
The event is open to all Filipino practitioners and can register with the organizers per sport.
Some of the biggest kickboxing organizations are expected to be around, like the Kickboxing and Muay Thai Council of the Philippines, headed by Emmanuel Sabrine, WMKF-Philippines of Gerald Basig and the World Kickboxing League-Philippines of Brico Santig.
The three groups have have bonded to form the Kickboxing Alliance of the Philippines (KAP).
Initially, around 66 Filipino athletes are set to go to the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games slated on September 17 to 27 in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.