Monday, April 21, 2008 Padilla: Baguio wins Wushu national chamionship crown By Nars Padilla Sportscope
MABUHAY! Here's a mighty cheer for Wushu Team Baguio! Our Wushu warriors ruled the 2008 Wushu Philippine National championships held at the Mall of Asia in Pasig City from April 15 to 16.
Our inspired and determined players under the leadership of Tony Candelaria, president of the Wushu Federation of the Philippines-Cordillera Autonomous Region (WFP-CAR) chapter, and Mark Sangyao, wushu and Universal Reality Combat Championship (URCC) coach from the University of the Cordilleras (UC), pooled in a grand total of 11 gold medals, seven silvers, and 11 bronze medals to win the coveted championship plum.
On the scoreboard, our sanshu warriors had 9-2-7 while out taulo bets amassed 3-5-4. Team NWTC placed second while Manila settled for the third slot.
There were at least over 300 top of the line, male and female competitors from 21 teams from Metro Manila, Cebu City, Bacolod City, Mindanao, Cagayan de Oro City, Province of La Union, Iloilo City, CAR, and our fair city.
From any perspective, Wushu Team Baguio displayed another sterling performance showcasing Baguio evidently as the "wushu gold mine" in Philippine sports. Let's keep it that way! And for all seasons!
In a nutshell, our gold medal performers are: Wushu Female Sr. Class -- Lea Gambao, 45 kilograms; Gina Inyong, 45 kilograms; Male Junior -- Baltazar Cacay, 48 kilograms; Paphet Bumaket, 52 kilograms; Roldan Sangcha-an, 56 kilograms; Jonathan Pumihic, 60 kilograms; and Male Sr. Class -- Denver Labrado, 60 kilograms and Honorio Banario, 70 kilograms (CAR).
The silver medallists are Amado Banito Jr., 48 kilograms and Edward Kelly, 65 kilograms while bronze medal performers are Romeo Alan, 48 kilograms, Joel Amurao, 58 kilograms, Kevin Balingon, 60 kilograms, and Denver Galing, 65 kilograms.
The taulo gold medallists are Elezar Jacob, 42 steps taijiquan; Jean Michael Salazar, nanquan; and Jonathan Gayyuchan, 24 steps taijiquan. The silver medallists are John Keithley Chan (Jr.) -- changquen; Kathlynn Sabalburo (Sr.) changquan; Kariza Kris Chan (Sr.) -- 42 steps taijiquan; and Dustin Chan (Jr.) -- san luquan while the bronze medallists include Jean Michael Salazar, short weapon; Rogie Massagan, short weapon; Denver Parantac (Sr.), nangquan; and Jasmin Chan (Jr.) -- san luquan. Certainly, our wushu warriors rightly deserve praise and commendation from all of us specifically sports fans and aficionados.
From Sportscope and the National Correspondents Club of Baguio (NCCB) Kafagway Sports Award Committee, here's a biiig hurrah at mabuhay tayong lahat! To all the sportsmen behind the success of CAR's wushu development program including learning institutions and sports clubs -- keep up the good work!
The Clark Marathon -- 42.195 kilometers edition at the former Clark Field US Airbase in Angeles City, Pampanga -- will the center stage early Sunday morning.
University of Baguio (UB) athletic director Eduardo Laureano, who will accompany the UB track squad to the footrace, said Flordeliza Donos, a recent criminology graduate from the school, and Geraldine Selza, a criminology sophomore, will see action in the full marathon while veteran Flordeliza Catchero and Herman Sore will showcase their prowess in the 10-km run. Coach Brando Galesia will also join the team. Laureano, a former Gintong Alay ward, expressed optimism that the UBians will give the other racers a run for their money.
"Our footracers trained hard for the occasion and I am hoping for a very respectable finish," Laureano said.
We are deeply elated and proud to know that at least two veteran Southeast Asian gamers from our beautiful city are members of the RP National Team to the 2008 Thailand Open Track and Field Championships to be staged in Bangkok from April 24 to 30.
UB trickster Midel Dique, a silver medallist in last December's SEAG, will vie for honors in his forte events in the middle distance races, namely, the 800-m and 400-m runs. He is the country's best bet in the medal row.
On the other hand, UC's Eleazer Sonang will compete in shot put where he pocketed a bronze medal also in the last Southeast Asian Games SeaGames) in Thailand.
UC Athletic Director Yul Banosa is expecting Sonang, an education student in the university, to excel in his favorite field event. Both athletes were NCCB Kafagway Sports Awardees for exemplary leadership and outstanding achievement last year.
The city's frontmen in athletics are leaving for Manila next week for added training regimen. Meanwhile, let us pray and wish them the best of luck!
I would like to take this opportunity to thank retired Colonel Napoleon Gojo, overall executive chairman of the forthcoming United Nations, World Veterans Federation, and Veterans Federation of the Philippines' (VFP) "World Veterans Walk for Peace," Baguio-CAR billed on September 21, 2008. Yours truly have been appointed by Colonel Gojo, VFP-Baguio district commander, to serve as the "executive program coordinator."
With gratitude and humility, I accepted the assignment and pledged to do my utmost best to ensure that the implementation of the "walk" will be accomplished to the hilt with the valued support and cooperation of all peace lovers in the city. Join the bandwagon to lasting peace and solidarity.
