KUALA LUMPUR – Nabawi ni dating world champion Benjie Rivera ng Baguio City ang kanyang titulo matapos ang walong taon nang mag-uwi ng natatanging gold medal sa biennial 12th World Wushu Championships na nilahukan ng 80 bansa dito.
Sumandal si Rivera, gold medal winner din sa Sanda World Cup sa kanyang mga kamao at braso at mahusay na pagsipa upang daigin ang 2011 edition losing finalist, Vietnamese Hoang Hong Tu, sa kanilang 52kg finals.
“It was like in 2005. I am very comfortable with my weight and as if I did not grow older,†sabi ni Rivera na nanalo lamang ng bronze sa 56kg category noong 2005 at 2011.
Kinapos naman si World Wushu Championship 2011 at Sanda World Cup 2012 gold medal winner Jessie Aligaga ng Iloilo sa pagdedepensa ng kanyang 48kg title kontra kay Song Bu Er ng China.
“I am greatly disappointed. There should have been a deciding third round if not for the bad calls of the Vietnamese platform judge, the same one who made bad calls against me in last year’s Asian Wushu Championships finals bout with another Chinese,†ani Aligaga.
Ang trio nina Daniel Parantac, Keithley Chan at Norlence Ardee Catolico ay nagdagdag naman ng silver medal.