Regular campaigners Eduardo Berco III and Hailey Dominique So made a strong comeback by capturing long-awaited gold medals for Davao City in the Batang Pinoy 2025 national karatedo championships at the SM GenSan Trade Hall in General Santos City.
Both athletes had competed in the previous two Batang Pinoy editions without a first-place finish. This time, on the tournament’s return to General Santos City, they stepped back onto the tatami with renewed purpose and finally delivered the golds they had chased for years.
Davao City’s karatedo team collected a total of three golds, two silvers, and four bronzes after two days of action held on October 27 and 28, 2025.
“It was a wonderful experience dahil ito po ang first gold ko sa (because this is my first gold in) Batang Pinoy,” he told SunStar Davao in a Messenger interview. “I’m really happy not just because of the medal but because I made my parents proud.”
Karate was never just an idea; it was his world growing up. His father coached UM athletes and always brought him to competitions.
“I admired the way they played, and I wanted to be there too,” he recalled. Still, he waited until his father finally allowed him to train at age 14.
This year’s finish surprised him.
“I wanted to win, but I really did not expect to since I had a hard time balancing my academics and my athletic career,” he said.
His next target: a kumite gold.
His ultimate dream: “To become better than I was yesterday.”
Behind Berco, Davao also collected medals in kata: Robert Bryan Dayanan Jr. earned silver in the boys 14–15 advanced kata, while Precious Zyrah Sacopayo (girls 10–11 beginner kata), Yalena Lee Ho (girls 14–15 intermediate kata), Cloe Marie Señedo (girls 16–17 intermediate kata), and Janne Criselle Berco (girls 16–17 intermediate kata) settled for bronze in their divisions.
So conquers nerves, finds gold in kumite
On Day 2, it was So’s turn to take her long-awaited leap.
The 14-year-old cadet, now in her third Batang Pinoy, powered through a tense field to top the cadet girls -61kg kumite. Before this year, she had yet to reach the top of the podium; she expected a bronze at best.
“I was very nervous and very scared,” she admitted. “But I believe God guided me through those four games, and my coach as well. This win is for God.”
A third-year student at Davao Christian High School, So started karate at age 11 because she simply “needed a sport to do.” Her family encouraged her, and it became more than a hobby — it became her drive, shared with her older sister.
She holds weightlifting Olympic champion Hidilyn Diaz as her biggest sporting inspiration.
“She never gave up, which led her to make history in the Tokyo Olympics,” she said.
So now dreams of collecting more medals, including in kata, and competing abroad.
Her teammate, Precious Zyrah Sacopayo, added a second gold medal after ruling the girls' 10–11 intermediate kumite, improving on her Day 1 bronze.
Donkurt Saguiped chipped in silver in the boys cadet +70kg kumite.
A breakthrough moment
For Berco and So, this Batang Pinoy edition offered something their previous two could not: vindication.
They walked into General Santos City carrying years of unfinished business. They walk out as first-time gold medalists, finally answering the challenge they once fell short of.
Around them, a young roster continues to grow, feeding off shared dreams, schoolwork, nerves, family encouragement, and long afternoons spent training.
As the week continues, Davao City’s karatedo bets hope their long-awaited breakthrough can fuel more steady performances in General Santos. MLSA