PHILIPPINE National Games (PNG) 2018 triple gold medalist Glennon Jhon Malisa aims to win seven gold medals, the same number he won last year, as the Davao City Athletic Association (Dcaa) Meet 2018 arnis competition opened at the Davao City National High School (DCNHS) yesterday.
Unit 1 player Malisa, a Grade 11 DCNHS student, lighted the urn during the Dcaa Meet 2018 opening ceremonies at DCNHS Multi-Purpose Hall Monday afternoon.
"Paningkamutan nako nga pito gihapon akong makuha (I will do my best to defend all seven golds)," he said, although in other events he will be competing in doubles or team categories in anyo (form) and labanan (sparring).
Malisa, eldest among four siblings, starts his bid for a slot in the Davao Region Athletic Association (Davraa) Meet 2019 enroute to the Palarong Pambansa 2019 where he is set to redeem himself having settled for silver in Ilocos Sur Palaro last summer.
The Dcaa Meet 2018 is a qualifier for the Davraa Meet 2019 that will be hosted by Davao City late January.
It can be recalled that he swept the junior boys extralightweight labanan padded stick, junior boys extralightweight anyo (sword and dagger) and junior boys extralightweight full contact golds in the PNG 2018 held in Cebu City in May.
At the Mandaue City Cultural and Sports Complex, Glennon Jhon Malisa cornered his second gold in arnis competition yesterday. He defeated Jerald Kasim of Koronadal City, 6-4, in their junior boys extralightweight labanan padded stick championship match after claiming his first gold in junior boys extralightweight anyo (sword and dagger) event Tuesday, May 22.
Malisa, 17, an incoming Grade 11 student of Davao City National High School (DCNHS), said, "Mas nauna ko sa iya og set, late na sya nakabawi nahutdan na sya og oras (I got the lead first and he tried to recover but it was too late for him)."
The eldest among four children of Alvin, a construction worker, and Glenn, a housewife, from Boulevard was teary-eyed during the interview. "Tanang kahago nako nagbunga (All my hardwork paid off)," he said, thanking his coaches, his family and teammates for their support.
He fell short during the Palarong Pambansa 2018 held in Ilocos Sur and went home with a silver. Thus, he pushed himself to train harder to make a statement here.
Malisa, who used to be a taekwondo player, aims to win a third gold in the live stick event, which he said, would require stamina and endurance on his part than the padded stick.
Glennon Jhon Malisa captured his third gold in junior boys full contact extralightweight event.
Malisa also won golds in anyo and padded stick events of the same weight category.