Cebuana karateka bags silver medal in Southeast Asian Championships

CEBU, Philippines — Bemedaled Cebuana karateka Alexis Nicole Villacarlos delivered silver medal for the Philippines in the 12th Southeast Asian Karate Federation (SEAKF) Championships held last June 17-19 at the Indoor Stadium of Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Brunei Darussalam.

The 11th grader of Cebu Doctors’ University (CDU) finished at second place in the junior kumite female -66kg category.

The 16-year-old Villacarlos put up a gallant stand, albeit in a losing effort to Vietnam’s Kim Tien Huynh in the final match.

Overall, Team Phl wound up fifth in the nine-nation competition with one gold, one silver, and 11 bronze medals.

National champion AZ Pamaybay produced the country’s lone gold in the three-day tilt after dominating Vietnamese Phe Ngoc Thanh, 9-3, in the cadet kumite male -57kg final.

The bronze medallists were Aleyah Magrata (+61kg), Bem Natividad (-57kg), Archail Monton (-70kg), Johnzen David Resngit (+70kg), Kelly Alexandrei Trocio (-53kg), Bernardo Fresco III (-55kg), Leonilo Banes III (-61kg), Abdulhakim Abdulkarim (-76kg), Richilieu Felipe (-84kg), Rebecca Cyril Torres (senior kata), and Christopher John Cagandahan (+84kg). — (FREEMAN)