THE Philippines garnered 36 medals, including 12 golds to claim the overall title in the recent 37th Karate-do Gojukai Singapore International Championships at the Singapore Badminton Hall.
Adam Bondoc, Krisanta Renzel Asistido and Matthea Lazo claimed two gold medals each as the Filipino young karatekas from the Association for the Advancement of Karatedo Philippines showed class and domination in the tournament participated in by 150 athletes from 13 karate Schools/Club from seven countries.
Bondoc, a Grade 11 student from Xavier School, Greenhills won in the juniors’ 16-17 Individual Kata and Kumite; Asistido dominated the cadet 14-15 Individual Kata and Cadet 52 kg. Kumite; while Lazo reigned in 11-13 Individual Kata and 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,” said Shihan Pocholo Veguillas, founder of 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,” said Richard Lim, Head Coach for the AAK Philippine Team.
The other gold medal winners are Nicole Erika Dantes (Grade 11, Colegio San Agustin) in the 16-17 years old individual Kumite; Renzo Tomas (Grade 9, OB Montessori Manila) in the 14-15 years old Individual Kata; Paulo Manuel Gorospe (Grade 3, Xavier School, Greenhills) in the 7-8 yrs old boys individual Kata; Ashley Eunice Dantes (Grade 3, Colegio San Agustin) in the 7-10 years old girls Individual Kata; Lucas Lagunzad (Grade 4, University of the Philippines Integrated School) in the 9-10 years old Kumite; and Sebastien Niel Manalac (Grade 4, St. Mary’s College Quezon City) in the 7-8 years old boys Individual Kumite.
The other medalists are 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 and bronze in 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); and Maryanne Jenelle Yabut-Montalvo (bronze, 61 kgs. Female Seniors Kumite).