PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan -- Dabawenyos Jahaziel Care Barbero and Mikko Camingawan grabbed contrasting wins against their championship opponents in the Batang Pinoy 2019 National Championships that ended at Holy Trinity University here late Thursday afternoon.
Eighth grader Barbero of Mintal Comprehensive High School (MCHS) stopped Mary Lorie Metro of Pangasinan, 14, in the first round of the girls 45 kilograms division title match.
Barbero’s roundhouse kick to Metro’s body and a punch on the face left the latter to eventually surrender.
She said, “Wala na siya maka-recover after ato (She wasn’t able to recover after that).”
Her past two victories were also impressive as she was declared winner by surrender in their first round rival before pulling off a winner by stoppage of a judge.
Barbero was even more inspired to win the gold since her father watched her games and her younger sister Johannah also competed in muay thai and clinched a gold.
“Maayo na experience, makahappy (It was a good experience, it made me happy),” she told SunStar Davao Thursday evening.
Camingawan, 15, meanwhile, beat Cebu City’s Chad Vincent Gomez via points in boys 45 kgs. finals.
The farmer’s son said, “Nalipay ko, wala ko mag-expect makuha ang gold. Maayo nalang nabasa dayon nako ang dula sa taga Cebu og naka-adjust ko (I’m happy as I didn’t expect to win the gold. It’s just as well that I easily understood his moves and made my adjustments).”
He leaned on his boxing skills, which he learned first before shifting to wushu a year ago, to defeat Gomez.
However, their Davao twin Kate and Sandi Beekhuizen lost their title matches and settled for silvers instead.
Kate bowed to Princess Quinzon of Baguio City in girls 42 kgs while Sandi succumbed to Jade Marie Aguilar of Mariveles, Bataan in girls 48 kgs.
The city’s wushu team was coached by Cathy Astudillo and Tashea Mae Nabayra with trainors Nell Jone Astudilllo, Paolo Galvan-Nabayra, Mark John Montes and Arniel Barbero.