Cordillera son, Billy Alumno, the head coach of the Philippine Muay Thai National Team, is being widely credited for elevating the combat sports in the country by producing world-class athletes.
Recently, Alumno, who grew up in Baguio City and Itogon, Benguet, was in the ringside to coach multiple medalist Philip Delarmino, who captured the World Muaythai Council-Asian featherweight belt in the United Arab Emirates.
Delarmino of Iloilo City edged Zakaria El Jamari of United Arab Emirates in a five-round championship bout.
His win has impressed many Muaythai practitioners, as his opponent is one of the most outstanding athletes in last year’s International Federation of Muaythai Association Asian Championship.
Alumno has helped Delarmino focus in his fight and maintain mental toughness, as El Jamari enjoyed a hometown advantage.
But Delarmino, who is a enlisted Navy personnel, has showcased why the Philippines is one of the Asian powerhouses and after many Filipino Muaythai athletes took as many medals as Thailand in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games hosted by Manila.
Aside from Delarmino, Alumno was also the head coach who guided Ariel Lee Lampacan of Itogon and Jenelyn Olsim of Bokod who won gold in Muaythai in the 2019 SEA Games. Lampacan was also a gold medalist in the IFMA Amateur World Championship held in Cancun, Mexico in 2018.
His youngest ward from the Cordillera is Islay Erika Bomogao of Baguio, who won a silver in the 2019 SEA Games.
Alumno started his love for combat sports when he tried kickboxing in high school before he shifted to boxing and became a varsity player of the University of Baguio.
He then dedicated most of his training in Muaythai after college until he became part of the Philippine Muaythai National Team. – Harley F. Palangchao
July 27, 2024
