TAOLU specialist Hannah Ysabel De Los Reyes secured the Philippines’ first medal at the 10th World Junior Wushu Championships, capturing a bronze in the girls’ junior taijiquan on Friday.
The Grade 7 student from La Salle Green Hills provided the early spark for the Philippine contingent, delivering a high-precision routine to reach the podium in the form-based discipline.
The breakthrough in Taolu coincided with a surge in the Sanda (combat) division, where three Filipino fighters advanced through their respective elimination rounds to remain in medal contention.
Ivy Ledama led the charge in the girls’ youth 48kg category, while Xiviel Bantali moved forward in the boys’ youth 48kg class. Zyrian Raiden Basa completed the sweep for the day, progressing in the boys’ youth 52kg division.
The victories place all three martial artists in the quarterfinals, bolstering the Philippines’ chances of adding to its tally in the full-contact events.
The Wushu Federation Philippines has fielded a lean but potent squad for the biennial world meet, which serves as a premier global platform for elite junior martial artists.
Competition continues through the weekend as the Philippine team looks to build on its early momentum in both the choreographed Taolu and sparring Sanda disciplines.
