YMCA-Baguio grabbed three gold medals enroute to topping the Team Lakay 22nd Grappling Cup at the BSU closed gym recently.
Alex Alan (43 to 50 kgs – B) opened YMCA’s campaign in the one day tournament by beating top grapplers from the Cordillera region, La Union, and even foreign participants with close to 80 athletes joining.
YMCA also took two gold medals in the distaff side with Charmea Quelino Lonogan topping the 51-57 kgs division in the juniors category while Aithana Caranto snatched the mint in the seniors of the 54 – 64 kgs weight class.
Team Lakay – La Trinidad and Submission Sports Philippines came in second and third respectively with identical two gold and four silver medals apiece but Team Lakay had three bronze medal to claim the second spot.
Dexter Tewac (58 to 64 kgs – B) and Gina Iniong (51 to 57 kgs – A) came home with one gold each for Lakay – La Trinidad while Submission Sports’s two gold mints came from Jimboy Panlita (72 - 79 kgs) and Maribel Angana (50 kgs and below).
Gridlock Fitness Gym and Zendo Kai also had two gold medals apiece courtesy of Jezriel Co (Gridlock Fitness Gym, 21 to 27 kgs), Joshua Genove (Gridlock Gym, +70 kgs), Yudai Tomita (Zendo Kai, 43 to 50 Kgs – A) and Tomoki Hara (Zendo Kai, 58 to 64 kgs – A).
Also bagging gold medals are Ivan Wanawan ( Lakay Central Gym), John Ira Barrientos (Lakay San Fernando Gym), Kimmer Lumbante (Kafagway MMA), Jay Mark Cuartelon (Fight Corps MMA), Gabriel Andres (Altitude Gym), Stephen Mark Loman (University of the Cordilleras), and Jennilyn Olsim (Tribal Submission).
Jhanlo Mark Sangiao (Lakay La Trinidad Gym) meanwhile took the best in submission technique using Korean zombie twister technique and the fastest submission award went to John Ira Barrientos (Lakay San Fernando Gym) via a triangle choke in 40 seconds.
Close to 80 joined the grappling tournament envisioned to keep on developing talented athletes from the Philippines specifically from the Northern Luzon Region as well to continue to produce and maintain our outstanding wins locally, nationally and internationally.