Yap jacks up Philippines medal haul

MANILA, Philippines —  Aislinn Agnes Yap vented her ire on Costa Rica’s Nicole Castro and won their sambo duel to add a bronze medal to the Philippines’ haul in the World Games in Chengdu, China yesterday.

Yap showed why she is the top fighter in the women’s combat -80-kilogram division as she overwhelmed Castro, 3-1, to cop the bronze and hike the country’s medal haul to two silvers and two bronzes.

Earlier in the day, Yap absorbed a shocking 0-2 loss to Ulbossyn Adilova of Kazakhstan in their semifinal bout.

Yap’s feat somehow eased the pain of kickboxer Hergie Bacyadan’s controversial defeat to Serbian Aleksandra Krstic that denied the Kalinga Apayao warrior a bronze.

With all her heavy punches, high kicks, and knees connecting to the Serbian’s face and body, Bacyadan looked fit for the podium ceremony happening in the evening.

But the judges awarded the victory to Krstic who was visibly shaken and grimacing in pain the entire match.

It was a controversial result for the Paris Olympian who has a wealth of international fighting experience from wushu, vovinam and boxing.

But the national team decided not to pursue a protest and instead move on.