PH team reaps medals at Thailand Karate Open

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine karatekas reaped medals at the Thailand Karate Open Championship held from July 26 to 30 at the Huamark Indoor Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

The Philippine karatekas, who competed against 600 athletes from 30 other countries, won a total of 4 gold, 8 silver, and 12 bronze medals.

David Lay of the Karate Development Art and Sports (KDA) said that the competition provided a good exposure for the young atheletes.

It was only the Philippines’ second participation in the competition after 2007.”Going to play abroad is always educational for these kids. They get a lot of benefits, learning experiences and at the same time, at a tender age, they are given the opportunity to play for the country, one way to teach patriotism to them,” Lay said.

The delegation was led by Alejandro Enrico Vasquez, with team manager Raymund Lee Reyes. The head coaches are Ali Parvinfar and David Lay, and  the delegation’s referees, Rommel Raymund, Jonnie Ocular and Ramon Franco.

The 50-member delegation was composed of  karatekas from the Philippine Karate-do Team (Typhoons), KDA, Wado-ryu Club, Japan Shotokan Karate Association, Ryo Shotokan Karate Club, Philippine Karatedo Traditional and Sports Association, Maharlika Karate-do Kai of the Philippines International, and the Advocacy for the Strengthening of Karatedo.

The medallists are the following:

Gold 

1. Chole Bernadette Limson 
2. Lance Gabriel Villafane 
3. Jaspher Fontillas 
4. Mae Soriano

Silver

1. Chole Bernadette Limson 
2. Marvin Pinpin 
3. Jaime Villegas 
4. Czarina Napa
5. Mark Andrei Barrientos
6. Randy Padua
7. Narayana Mesina
8. OJ delos Santos 

Bronze

1. John Enrico Vasquez
2. Ivanna Cablao 
3. Timothy Yu 
4. Lopez River 
5. Gian Valencia 
6. Chris Kawaen
7. Joco Vasquez
8. Gilbert Arellano 
9. Angeligue Aguilar  
10. Alexis Nunez 
11. Rita Cuadra 
12. Joanna Ylanan

– Rappler.com