Batasan karatekas shine in QC Palaro

Batasan emerged the winningest team in karatedo as it hauled six more gold medals in Sunday’s kumite event, capping a magnificent performance in the first Batang Quezon City Palarong Panglungsod at the Amoranto Sports Complex.

A day after harvesting six of the 11 gold medals contested in the kata event Saturday at the Multi-Purpose Hall, Batasan added another six to hike its total to 12, besting Barangays Pag-asa and Commonwealth.

Ethel Pagadora (-45 kg), Mary Grace Malicden (-40 kg), Nikki Riga (-50 kg) and Joycelyn Lozada (-60 kg) delivered four gold medals in the girls’ division while Dexter Navida (-45 kg) and Jeffrey Banad (+70 kg) added another two from the boys’ section.

Barangay Commonwealth, however, stole some thunder from Batasan as its three jins bagged three gold medals in the boys’ kumite, two of them over favored foes from Batasan.

Joseph Capistrano downed kata gold medalist Michael Carillo for the 50-kg kumite gold medal while Joseph Anthony Abjilina shamed Rodel Echigorin in the 65-kg class for Commonwealth’s first two gold medals. — Joey Villar