Davao City – Local-based karatekas from the Association for the Advancement of Karatedo (AAK) Davao City Chapter hauled four gold medals that went along with a silver and eight bronze medals to close its campaign in the 2nd Manuel Veguillas Memorial Cup Karate Championships at the Mall of Asia in Pasay City.
Atsuko Kaiyel Tan of Davao Christian High, two-time So Kim Cheng Awards Athlete of the Year winner led the city’s haul with two gold medals winning it in the girls 8 to 9 years-old advance kata and kumite.
Joining her are Ian Carlos Pascual who bagged the gold medal in the Juniors -16kgs kumite and Aldren Solon of Davao City National High in the 12 to 13 years-old Boys Kata Intermediate.
Its lone silver medal came from Stephen James Cartagena who settled it in the Cadets +63kgs. kumite while its bronze medals saw Sofia Agulo of Ateneo de Davao University (girls juniors -48kgs kata and doubles kumite), John Paul Ponce of PSID (boys +63kgs cadets kumite), Seth Michael Navarro of UIC (boys 10 to 11 years-old kumite), Adrian Paul Ilaya (juniors -55kgs kumite), Julian Ambrose Ramirez/Ian Pascual (juniors double kumite), Kyzzhia Pauline Navarro of UIC (girls doubles kumite) and Stephen James Cartegena (boys cadets kata).
Pascual and Solon also added bronze medal finishes in the juniors kata and boys 12 to 13 years-old kumite.
Team AAK-Davao was one of the 22 teams having 400 athletes which took part in the two-day tournament formerly known as Adidas Cup which was held in honor of the late founder of AAK Philippines Manuel Veguillas.
“We are blessed with the performance of the kids,” said Karate Pilipinas Region XI director Rommel Tan who joined AAK Davao instructors Jeoffrey Albarico and Jerson Tamayo.
AAK Davao also would like to thank its supporters – parents Jay and Joanne Ramirez, Ceth and Mike Navarro, Emery and Jack Neble, Edgar and Maethel Ponce, Ruth Agullo, Sharon Cartagena and Richard Lu. Special thanks also to Mahugani Security Agency, Philblanc Company, the Davao City Sports Council Inc. through president Dexter So and KPI city director Cris Campomanes.
