Cordilleran athletes continue to collect medals for the Philippines in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam, as the country is tailing host country Vietnam and Thailand in the overall medal tally.
Veteran campaigners Jean Claude Saclag and Gina Iniong-Araos were the first Cordilleran athletes to win gold medal apiece in kickboxing while six more athletes based in the region won four silver and two bronze medals in the same event.
Silver medalists were Claudine Veloso, Zephania Ngaya, and Renalyn Raquel while bronze medalists were Honorio Banario and Emmanuel Cantores.
Members of the national kickboxing team have trained in Baguio City and Benguet with Team Lakay chair Mark Sangiao serving as one of the chief trainers.
Abra taekwondo pride and Olympian Kurt Barbosa also delivered a gold medal in kyorugi while Jeordan Domiguez and Kobe Macario, who are members of the poomsae team along with Janna Dominique Oliver, Juvenile Faye Crisostomo, and Darius Venerable, delivered a silver medal in mixed freestyle event.
Baguio’s dance pride Steph Sabalo and partner Michael Angelo Marquez won the gold in single Latin cha cha cha and silver medals apiece in jive and SCRPJ category.
The pair of Islay Erika Bomogao and Richien Yosorez also won gold medal in the Muay Thai’s wai kru.
It is expected that other members of the Muay Thai national squad mentored by Igorot coach Billy Alumno will deliver more medals for the country.
Earlier, Helen Aclopen and Charmea Quelling bagged silver medal apiece in kurash with Estie Gay Liwanen winning a bronze medal in the same event.
Veteran campaigner Jason Balabal also won a bronze medal in the 97-kilogram of wrestling men’s Greco Roman event.
Young veteran campaigner Jenelyn Olsim also won the first bronze medal for the Philippines in vovinam, a Vietnamese martial arts, among the six-man national squad members. – Harley F. Palangchao
