Two Pinay karatekas in Tehran world meet

MANILA, Philippines - It was the national women’s karatekas turn to shine as Princess Diane Sicangco and Mae Soriano bagged a gold and bronze medal each, respectively, in the recent Tehran Women’s Karatedo Championships staged in the Iranian capital.

A silver medalist in last year’s World Cup in Busan, South Korea, Sicangco swept her three matches in the -61-kilogram division in kumite (sparring), capped by a thrilling 5-4 decision over her tough Iranian foe.

Soriano, who won a bronze medal in the 2011 Indonesia Southeast Asian Games, also got a bronze in the women’s -55-kg. division after winning her first two bouts by scores of 5-4 and 8-0, respectively, before losing her semifinal match 2-5. 

Teammates Joana Ylanan and Raquel Luzares also saw action in the competition serving as part of the 10-man Philippine kumite team’s  build-up for the 27th Myanmar Southeast Asian Games in December.

“Sicangco and Soriano’s showing proves that the Philippine Karatedo Federation’s decision to send the Philippine kumite team to train in Iran was the right move,” noted PKF secretary general Raymund Lee Reyes. “Their experience will make them even more competitive in Myanmar.”

On behalf of the PKF,  Reyes thanked Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richie Garcia and  commissioner Jolly Gomez, who oversees the sport, for making the team’s training stint in Iran possible.

He also cited POC  president Jose Cojuangco Jr., PKF president Joey Romasanta and PKF vice president Dr. Enrico Vasquez in throwing their full support behind the squad’s SEAG preparations.