Cordilleran kickboxers are preparing for the 2022 National Kickboxing Championships on Oct. 26 to 28 to be held at the Music Hall, Mall of Asia, Pasay City.
The athletes who will compete are those who qualified in the Central Luzon Kickboxing Invitational Open 2022 on Aug. 3 to 6.
Samahang Kickboxing ng Pilipinas (SKP), Technical Director Bryan Olod said the national tournament would be a means for SKP to screen the best players for the country’s pool of athletes.
The event was the first regional qualifying games for the national competition that gathered 44 kickboxers coming from Regions I, 2, 3, the National Capital Region, and the Cordillera.
Joining the nationals are Team Kafagway’s Felex Cantores hailing from Baguio City and Sablan, Benguet who took home the gold medal in the 67 kilograms, winning his first match via knockout and won by points in the finals. His teammate, Roldan Lingbanan settled for a bronze medal in the 57-kg. full contact category.
Also heading to the nationals is Charlene Pusayen who secured the lone gold for Team Quads, based in La Trinidad, Benguet.
During the event, a battle between Kalinga fighters Arvin Sabado of Tribu Banwar based in Tabuk City and Chauvin Wacdagan of Team Evolutions based in Baguio City took place in the 60-kg. category with the latter winning the gold.
Tribu Banwar’s Alester Tagure qualified with his bronze medal in the 54-kg. category.
The SKP has set the NCR and South Luzon Kickboxing Invitational Open on Sept. 14 to 17 at the Sta. Rosa Sports Complex, Sta. Rosa City, Laguna.
As one of the representatives of the country, SKP Tatami Sports Chairperson Olod also participated in the third annual technical online kickboxing seminar on Aug. 28 by the Word Association of Kickboxing Organizations.
The seminar was hosted by Nasser Nassiri, president of the Asian Kickboxing Confederation and Euncheon Jeong, technical committee chair of the Asian Kickboxing Confederation.
Coach Noriel Acquisio of Team Max Fusion and part of the SKP also participated in the event where 200 participants from 25 countries discussed the belt grading program and apprised with kickboxing techniques and rules to improve their organizations. – Ofelia C. Empian
