Members of the Teen Bagsik of the Philippine Muay Thai Team brought home nine gold, five silver, and two bronze medals in the recently held IFMA Youth World Championships 2022 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
It was a tournament to remember for most members of the eight-man team, as it was their first international exposure against top young Muay Thai athletes in the world.
Cordilleran athletes Edel Ali Ngina and Clark Fattit contributed two gold and two silver medals in the overall medal haul for Team Philippines in the non-combat event.
Ngina, son of assistant national coach Edzel, clinched gold in waikru while the other gold medalists were Mara Luz Da-game, Keith Margaret Balinas, and Jan Brix Ramiscal.
Ngina and Fattit also won gold medals in the maemai Muay Thai while the tandem of Balinas and Ramiscal also won for them a gold medal in the same event.
Dagame and Johnden Aldana, Jr. also won a silver medal apiece in waikru while Aldana Jr. and Mallari also paired for a silver medal finish in the maemai Muay Thai.
Members of the Muay Thai national team have been holding training in Baguio City and at their official training ground, the Benguet State University, under the watch of national coach Billy Alumno.
The annual pinnacle IFMA event for youth athletes also includes cultural exchange and social meetings.
This year’s Youth World Championships includes all weight categories of the youth divisions in the combat discipline, as well as in individual and mixed team events for the waikru and mai muay disciplines. – Harley F. Palangchao
