THE 10-member Association for the Advancement of Karatedo (AAK) Davao collected a total of four gold medals, one silver and 11 bronzes in the just-concluded second Manuel Veguillas Memorial Cup held at SM Mall of Asia Music Hall in Pasay City.
AAK Davao chief Rommel Tan, also regional director of Karate Pilipinas, said: "We fielded 10 karatekas in the two-day event and all of them won medals."
He said it was a high level competition since former members of the abolished Philippine Karatedo Federation (PKF) also joined the tournament.
"Maganda ang performance this year, nagstep-up lahat (The performance this year was good. Everyone stepped-up)," Tan said in a text interview with SunStar Davao.
His eldest daughter Atsuko Kaiyel Tan of Davao Christian High School swept two gold medals by topping the girls eight to nine years old advance kata and girls eight to nine advance kumite events.
Ian Carlos Pascual of Asian International School of Aeronautics and Technology (Aisat) and Aldren Solon of DCHS annexed golds in junior boys -60 kilograms kumite and intermediate boys 12-13 kata, respectively.
The lone silver came from Stephen James Cartagena who placed second in cadet boys plus 63 kilograms (kgs) kumite.
Bronze medalists were Ateneo de Davao University's Sofia Agullo (junior girls-48 kgs), junior girls kata team, junior girls kumite doubles, Pascual (junior boys kata), John Paul Ponce of Precious International School of Davao (cadet boys plus 63 kgs kumite), Ceth Michael Navarro of the University of the Immaculate Conception (boys 10-11 kumite), Solon (boys 11-12 kumite), Adrian Paul Ilaya (junior boys-55 kgs), Julian Ambrose Ramirez and Ian Pascual (junior boys doubles kumite) and Kyzzhia Pauline Navarro of UIC (girls kumite doubles).
Tan added the tournament was formerly known as the Adidas Cup and was changed to Manuel Veguillas Memorial Karate Cup last year in honor of AAK founder Manuel Veguillas who died last November 24, 2017.
AAK Davao has been competing in the annual karatefest since 2013.