Five Baguio arnisadores snared medals as they performed their best at the recently conclu-ded 16th World Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation (Wekaf)-World Arnis Championship in Mandaue City, Cebu.
Donlee Aliga led the athletes by winning a gold medal at the sayaw 18 to 39 male single stick musical and a silver in padded 18 and above years old male under 58-kilogram, where he beat another Baguio athlete, Crisamuel Delfin, during the semifinals, 6-2.
He lost in the finals to fellow Filipino Jumel Montebon, 2-3, the latter settling for the bronze.
Aliga won his third medal, a bronze, together with Elmer Manlapas and Billy Joel Valenzuela in sayaw 18 to 39 male double stick musical.
The 2019 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Manlapas also won a gold when he defeated Robin Kier Ubanos in the finals of the knife point event.
He added another bronze medal in the single stick.
Aside from his bronze medal win, Valenzuela bagged a silver medal in the padded point, losing to fellow Filipino athlete Mar James Lapuz.
Delfin, who is now based in Rizal, won a silver and a bronze medal, when he lost to Aliga in the sayaw singles stick musical by a mere 0.1 point.
Another 2019 SEAG gold medalist, Abegail Abad, won a silver in padded point. The nursing student from the University of Baguio won her semifinals game against Via Rashiel Mae Lara, 4-2, to earn a finals slot and against Annjeanette Brillantes, who she lost to at 2-6, leading to her bronze medal win.
The Baguio team contributed two gold, four silver, and three bronze medals during the event where Team Philippines etched a historic feat in Wekaf after hauling a staggering 418 medals to emerge the overall champion of the prestigious arnis event. The Filipino athletes finished with 141 gold, 139 silver, and 138 bronze medals, which is a record-setting feat in the 33-year history of Wekaf. – Ofelia C. Empian
