PH karate offers no SEAG guarantees, but they’ll put up a fight

Rafael Bandayrel

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PH karate offers no SEAG guarantees, but they’ll put up a fight
As karate returns to the SEA Games, the athletes eye redemption in Malaysia

 

MANILA, Philippines – With karate returning to the Southeast Asian Games, Philippine Karatedo Federation secretary general Raymund Lee Reyes is expecting to kick up some gold this August in Malaysia. 

Sa totoo lang ine-expect ko hindi lang isang (gold) talaga,” Reyes said, “Lahat naman ng atleta natin nagwo-work hard kaso lang yung mga kalaban naman natin ‘di mo rin naman alam kung ano gagawin niyan.”

(“To be honest, I’m expecting not just one [gold],” Reyes said, “All of our athletes work hard but we also could not know for sure what the opponents are going to do.”)

The team is set to leave for Kelkheim, Germany on July 25 for an overseas training camp. Reyes believes that athletes learn more from training camp than the tournaments themselves because training camp allows the players to repeatedly work on their mistakes.

“Talagang lalaban kami paulit-ulit sa mga kalaban namin para masanay kami sakanila. At the same time yung mga kaba ng mga atleta natin nawawala,” said Reyes. 

(“We will fight with our opponents repeatedly until we figure them out. At the same time the nervousness of our athletes will go away,” said Reyes.)

Among those going to Germany are Jayson Ramil Macaalay, Carmelo Patricio Jr., Mae Soriano, John Michael Vincent Badil, Rexor Tacay, OJ Delos Santos. Eugene Stoner Dagohoy, Sharief Afif, Juna Suqui, Erika Samonte, John Paul Dejar, and Kimberly Madrona. 

Golden dreams 

In 2015, karate – together with weightlifting and wrestling – was not included in the Singapore-hosted SEA Games. And for the 25 year-old Macaalay, this year is about redemption.

Asked how important it is to win the gold, the Pangasinan native answered, “Sobrang mahalaga kasi, lalo na ngayon gustong gusto naming bumawi talaga,” he continued, “yun yung pinakamagandang regalo mo sa lahat ng pagod mo, sa lahat ng sacrifice mo, at sa lahat ng training mo.” 

(This is very important especially because we really want redemption,” he continued, “that’s the best gift you could ever have for all the hard work, for all the sacrifice, and for all the training that you’ve done.)

Patricio, 26, who will be competing for Team Kumite (open-weight category) also feels positive about bringing home a medal. “Sa tingin ko sa ginagawa naming traning kaya po (manalo). Dahil hundred percent po yung binibigay namin every training at nandyan po yung suporta ng federation namin at ng mga coaches po,” stated the Isabela native. 

(Because of our training I feel like I can [win]. We give our hundred percent during every training and we receive support from our federation and from our coaches as well, stated the Isabela native) 

According to Soriano, bringing honor to the country is her motivation. “Mahalaga manalo ng medal dahil po syempre inaasahan ka ng bayan. Hindi lang kasi para sa sarili mo eh, dinadala mo yung buong bansa,” said the 35 year-old from Bacolod, a silver medalist in 2013 and bronze medalist in 2011.

(It’s important to win a medal because of course the country is counting on you. This is not just for me, I’m representing the entire country.”)

Although winning multiple medals is not a certainty, Reyes assured one thing, “I don’t guarantee na ganon karami yung gold medals but I guarantee na talagang lalaban yung mga atleta natin.”

(I don’t guarantee that we’ll win many gold medals, but I guarantee that our athletes will fight.) – Rappler.com

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