The rising karate star

Saturday, January 14, 2012

PAVEL Jervis dela Cruz Bacayo stands five feet and 10 inches. Exceptionally tall for a 16-year-old karatedo player.

He, however, capitalized on his height advantage to reap medals.

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Bagging the boys 14-15 kata and kumite gold medals in the AAK Inter-School Karatedo Championships at the Gaisano Grand Citimall on October 23, and lifting his boys 15-17 kumite team to a golden finish in the AAK Super Karate Kids Team Championships at SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City on November 27 last year were his recent feats.

He said: "I was very happy winning not just one but two golds in one tournament."

It's interesting to note that this University of the Immaculate Conception (UIC) junior High School student just learned the ropes of the sport during summertime of 2011.

"I joined a summer Milo clinic for karatedo. My schoolteacher Jeofrey Albarico talked me into it. He has become my Senseis since then," PJ, who resides in Mandug, told this writer.

He's been training every day after classes and also on Saturdays.

He made his competition debut and entered the semi-finals of the Adidas Cup Martial Arts Festival Karatedo Tournament at the SM Mall of Asia on July 29 and 30, 2011.

PJ also saw action in the 2011 AAK Super Karate Kids Championships at SM North Edsa on September 25 but only settled for the silver in boys 14-15 kumite.

In his first international stint, he was eliminated in the second round of the 2nd Silent Knight Karate Cup in Singapore held October 1 and 2.

PJ is the youngest among two children of May Florence, a UIC professor, and Paul Dag, a plantation head at LFC.

He balances his time well being a consistent honor student and a rising karatedo ace.

He said: "When I am in the classroom, I always try to focus on the lessons and when I'm in dojo (training center), I also try not to think about my lessons in the classroom."

He often wakes up at 5 a.m. and arrives in school by 6:45 a.m. where he attends classes until 3:30 p.m. he goes straight to the school gym for training until 6 p.m. He attends to his assignments at home but makes sure that he sleeps by 9 p.m. or 10 p.m.

"It's really exciting to be an athlete. It has lots of surprises, too. I thank my parents for being very supportive," he said.

PJ said he will continue to do his best and improve himself so he can represent the country in more international competitions in the future.

He also plans to take up a medical course in college.

His greatest dream though is to become a world champion.