Victorious Philippine Karate Team at SCOOP sa Kamayan
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 02 Sep 2012
MANILA (PNA) -- Even the fragmented Philippine Karatedo Federation did the country proud when Filipino karatekas surprisingly brought home a gold medal and a silver medal in the just-concluded K1 World Cup Karate Championships held in Busan, South Korea last month.
?Typhoon? Joanna Mae Ylanan, came true to her nickname when she brought home the much-sought after gold medal as she led the PH team?s impressive performance that, likewise, made up for their counterparts? zero showing in the London Olympic Games.
Fighting in the 68-kilogram category, the tiny-built 20-year-old pride of Tacloban City, overcame all her opponents, all taller and heftier than her, including a Korean in the gold-medal fight in her division to emerge the brightest star of the nine-fighter national delegation.
All the Filipino fighters, according to PKF secretary general Raymond Lee Reyes during last Friday?s SCOOP Sa Kamayan session, were known in the tournament that drew the best karatekas from 17 countries as ?Typhoons? because they left Manila amidst a strong typhoon that flooded the metropolis and several provinces in Luzon.
?Typhoon? Princess Diane Sicangco, who also attended the SCOOP forum, sponsored by Powerade, AKTV and FILA, along with Iranian coach Ali Parvinpar, was not as lucky though losing in the finals of the 61-kilogram class to her Hong Kong counterpart to settle for the silver medal.
What made the country?s participation in the premier tournament reserved for up-and-coming karatekas sweeter was a double-gold harvest made by the youthful national contingent in the sideshow International Junior Cadet tilt held also in Busan immediately after the World Cup0.
Fourteen-year-old Charles Bonagua and 13-year-old Alex Lay accounted for the pair of gold medals hauled by the team.
Bonagua emerged the best fighter in the 57-kg division of the14-15 age-bracket, while Lay, was tops in the kata event of the 13-under level. Bryan took the silver medal in the 70-kg. division. The squad of Bonagua, Lay, Fontillas and Andrew Manantay ended up third in the boys? team championship.
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