Davao's King's Sword reigns in Vismin wushu

MANILA, Philippines - King’s Sword School of Martial Arts of Davao City emerged as the overall champion in the inaugurals of the Vismin Wushu Sanda Championships held at Gaisano Mall in Davao City over the weekend.

Ruben Lamasa outpointed teammate Brandon Lascuna in the 56kg male seniors division for King’s Sword first gold medal. Olle Johnson followed it up by outclassing Jed Mark Palazuelo of ML Martial Arts Studio in the male 70kg seniors with Evita Zamora crushing teammate Nesseth Albinda in the female 60kg seniors for the third gilt.

Johnson and Zamora lead the six athletes picked by the Wushu Federation Philippines in consultation with the Chinese foreign coach of the Wushu national team, Tong Qing Hai, to join the national training pool.

Edison Alibata, 48kg male seniors champion of Wushu “Latino-Zamboanga and his teammate, 60kg male seniors silver medalist Kastner Indana were the other “products” of the pioneering tilt –organized by WFP Davao Chapter and sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Smart Plug and Play, Gaisano Mall.

S. Herrera& Sons, King’s Sword and Cherry Mobile—to be invited to the national training pool.

Junior finalists in the 50kgClemente Tabugara, Jr. and Noel Alibata who elicited the loudest cheers from the big crowd of weekend shoppers were both chosen for the developmental pool with possible stint in the World Junior Championship later in the year.

WFP Jimmy Tan, who inducted into office the founding officers and directors of the WFP Davao Chapter, said, “The invitation of six athletes to the national training pool and developmental pool can only mean the first ever Vismin Wushu Sanda Championship was a sound investment.”

Taijiquan exponent Emmanuel Herrera is the founding president of the WFP Davao Chapter with Dominic Dexter So, Jr as vice president.

Wushu Latino-Zamboanga and Mindanao Aeronautical Technical School shared the overall runnerup position with two gold medals apiece.