Four members of the national Muay Thai team will take their campaign in a serious tone in the coming 2019 Arafura Games in Australia
They will seek all the medals that they can get their hands on when bantamweight Ariel Lampacan, featherweight Philip Belarmino, Ryan Jakiri (63kgs) and female entry Jenny Lyn Olsim finally goes on top of the ring.
Lampacan won the gold in the Ipma world championships in Cancun, Mexico, while Belarmino, who is the team skipper, is a fearsome fighter after taking the 57 kg silver medal in Asian Indoor Martial Arts Games in Turkmenistan.
Jakiri is the bronze medalist in the 63kg class of the recent Southeast Asian Games, while Olsim, who won the 54 kg gold in last year’s East Asian Championships in Hong Kong.
National coach Billy Alumno said their campaign will serve as their preparation for the coming 30th Southeast Asian Games.
“They are all preparing for the SEA Games,” said Alumno.
The Philippines will be sending around 120 athletes to the 2019 Arafura Games, which will be held from April 26 to May 4.
And most of the athletes that will be there won’t be just competing for medals, they will be there in the spirit of fun, camaraderie and cooperation.
That’s because of many of them hail from Mindanao, with Davao City sending the most with around 70, and they join representative from Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Davao del Norte, General Santos and Palawan.
Australian Ambassador Steven Robinson hosted a sendoff dinner at his North Forbes Park residence in Makati City on Wednesday last week, along with Philippine Sports Commission officials, led by chairman William Ramirez.
The Arafura Games is back this year and will welcome an expected 15,000 participants into Darwin, Australia when it reignites the flame on April 26.
Marc Edward Velasco, PSC’s National Training Director and the delegation’s Deputy Chef de Mission said the Philippines will definitely give its best and fight for whatever medals that they can get.
“They will do they best,” said Velasco.
