Omengan heads Phl bid in Asian Junior Wushu

MANILA, Philippines - World gold medalist Alieson Ken Omengan leads the country’s bid in the seventh Asian Junior Wushu Championship set to kick off on Aug. 8 at the Makati Coliseum.

Omengan, a high school student from San Jose Trinidad, Baguio, easily emerges as the country’s best bet in the four-day meet featuring 23 countries following his golden triumph in the World Junior Wushu Championship in Macau last year.

The 14-year-old Omengan is entered in the Nanquan Nangun and Nandao event of the taolu competitions.

Wushu Federation of the Philippines (WFP) secretary-general Julian Camacho remained non-committal as to how many gold medals the country is eyeing in the first major wushu tournament here since the 1996 Asian meet at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

But a gold medal haul of seven will give the Philippines its 100th gold medal in the sport that served as a demonstration event in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

“We have a very good chance here of surpassing our gold tally during the 6th Asian junior meet,” said Camacho in the weekly Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at Shakey’s Malate, where he is joined by deputy secretary general Red Dumuk and young teen actress Bea Binene, who is the country’s wushu ambassadress.

The Philippines won a gold and a pair of silver and bronze during the last edition of the Asian junior meet in Shanghai, China two years ago.  

But young teen actress Bea Binene, who serves as the country’s wushu ambassadress, is confident the Filipinos can win five gold medals at the least.

“I’m very confident five will be the least number of (gold) medals we will win,” said the radiant actress, a member of the wushu national training pool, during the special session presented by Shakey’s and the Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corporation.

“I’m very confident with our athletes. Alam ko kung anong klaseng training at preparation ang ginagawa ng team natin.”

A simple opening ceremony will usher the meet Wednesday night to be graced by Yu Zaiqing, president of both International Wushu Federation (IWF) and Wushu Federation of Asia (WFA), as keynote speaker.

Yu is also vice president of the Chinese Olympic Committee.

Philippine Sports Commission chairman Ricardo Garcia and Philippine Olympic Committee chairman Tom Carrasco will deliver inspirational messages.

Makati mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay of the host city will welcome all participating teams along with WFP chairman Jimmy Chan and president Tan She Ling.

The University of Makati chorale and dance troupe will serenade visiting teams and athletes and present Filipino folk dances in the cultural side of the meet presented by the PSC, POC, Department of Tourism, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, City of Taguig, Canon cameras, MVP Sports Foundation, Arrow shirts, Summit Water, and Burlington socks.