JAKARTA, Indonesia – After solidifying his place as one of the best wushu practitioners in the region, Daniel Parantac plans to serve the country one last time in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games. 

“Yes that (SEA Games) is my last goal. That’s my year of retiring,” said Parantac after his 2018 Asia Games taijijian performance. 

Parantac failed to at least replicate his 2014 Incheon silver-winning performance in the taijiquan and taijijian all-around as he dropped to 9th place in the final with a total score of 19.34 after tallying 9.67 in each category. 

Before the Asiad, Parantac was already contemplating on retirement when he injured his left knee while he was still nursing his other knee. 

“Yung nasa isip ko: itutuloy ko pa ba yung training ko? Magco-compete pa ba ako?” recalled Parantac. 

(I was thinking: Should I still continue training? Should I still compete?) 

But the Baguio native was glad that he didn’t quit and pushed himself to compete in the Asian Games. After his performance, he breathed a sigh of relief and exited with a smile because he finally bounced back from his error-filled 2017 SEA Games showing. 

“At least pumasok ako ng carpet, pinerform ko na siya ng maayos then pagka-exit ko, pagkatingin ko ng score, no deduction,” said Parantac. 

(At least I entered the carpet, I performed well, then I saw that I had no deduction in the score when I exited.) 

“And that’s it. No regrets.” 

At 27 years old, Parantac knows that the young guns are starting to step up in the competition. But he’s all set to put in the work.

Before the 2019 SEA Games, Parantac still has the Taolu World Cup in November and the 2019 Wushu World Championships, where he’s determined to repeat his podium finishes in 2011 and 2013. And he certainly plans to give all that he has left – Rappler.com