Pangasinan hosts karate tourney

LINGAYEN, Philippines – About 300 participants across the country will join the first-ever Governor  Espino Karate Championship on Jan. 11 at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center gym.

Seven contingents from Southern Luzon, National Capital Region, Nueva Ecija, Isabela, Angeles City, Cagayan de Oro and Mandaue City including the Pangasinan Team are expected to see action in the one-day national invitational which offers  176 medals.

Philippine Karatedo Federation president Alejandro Enrico Vasquez, who is also the head coach of the Pangasinan karate team, said  Pangasinan’s 20-strong karate team, five of them members of the national team, will be going all out for  a lion’s share of the medals.           

Last year, the Pangasinan ruled the second PKF NSA Inc. Karate Championships in Cavite.

Southeast Asian Games medalists Mae Soriano, brothers Mark Andrew and John Matthew Manantan, John Enrico Vasquez, Jurille Gilbert Arellano  are competing, he added.         – Eva Visperas