Baylon to train QC judokas

John Baylon, the Philippines’ eight-time Southeast Asian Games judo gold medalist, has expressed his interest to help train Quezon City athletes for international competitions.

Baylon made the offer when he was asked, during a visit to QC Hall, if he would like to contribute to the training of potential Asian and world judo gold medalists under the QC sports development program.

The Southeast Asia’s top judoka made a courtesy call at the office of Councilor and majority floor leader Ariel Inton Jr. to personally express his gratitude to the three-term alderman who authored the city council resolution honoring Baylon for his record performance in the SEA Games in the past 18 years.

“Baylon is a pride of Quezon City, who has the makings of a QC Gawad Parangal awardee like billiard national and world champion Dennis Orcullo,” said Inton.

Baylon clinched his eighth consecutive judo gold medal in the 24th SEA Games held last December in Thailand.

He pocketed his first gold in the 1991 Manila SEA Games.

A first class airman in the Philippine Air Force, Baylon is a long-time Quezon City resident who had been trained as a judoka in Japan.

In May this year, he will be in Jeju, South Korea as the Philippines’ representative to the Asian Judo Championship final qualifying matches for the Olympics.