FIERRE Afan will represent the country in the 2023 World Combat Games from October 21 to 30 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
While training for the world tourney, he is pursuing his studies in sports science at University of the Philippines.
“It’s very tiring after training because I have to attend my classes in UP for my scholarship,” the 19-year-old Afan said after winning the United World Wrestling United World Grappling Asian Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan last June. “But I want to be successful so that’s okay.”
Afan, who resides in Marikina City, but trains in Sucat, Parañaque City under the DEFTAC-Ribeiro gym, believes he can balance both academics and being an athlete at the same time with the help of the people around him as he sets his eyes on the World Combat Games.
“I would like to thank all my teammates, who encourage me. Salute to my teammates, who believe in me all the time. I also want to finish a college degree,” he added. “I won’t be around here if my teammates were not there to help me, and they are still here.”
He explained that the physical part of training is very hard, but the mental part is more difficult.
“I strengthened my body physically and of course my mindset for 15 years, but it was the mental part which served to be the hardest,” he said.
Afan highlighted his campaign in Astana with a big win over Kazakhstan World Champion Artem Khvan in U-20 no-gi junior class.
At his young age, he also showed the world that he’s capable of winning as he ruled the U-19 class by bagging two gold medals in the junior category before settling for two silvers in the senior division at the same Astana tourney.
Alvin Aguilar, the president of Wrestling Association of the Philippines, acknowledged Afan’s hard work and sacrifices throughout the years, saying the young grappler, who already fought some huge fights in his young career, will definitely be successful in Philippine sports.
“We believe in Fierre, his hard work and sheer determination to succeed has been tested at his early age — and he just did it not once, but twice already,” Aguilar said. “He will give our country more medals, gold medals, not just in the continental side, but also in the world stage.”
Aguilar referred to Afan’s performance when he qualified for the World Combat Games after clinching a bronze medal in the qualifying round in Tashkent, Uzbekistan last May.
Afan, who watches some MMA fights in the Universal Reality Combat Championship, said he even tried to be an MMA fighter before, but admitted he needs to improve his striking abilities.
“I’m focusing on grappling sports, jiu-jitsu, judo and wrestling for now,” Afan said. “I want to improve my understanding on how to be effective on my technique during crucial times. It’s better that you know what you’re doing, than why you’re doing it at the same time.”