Team gold for Filipino wushu bets

Displaying fluid choreography and near-flawless execution, Team Philippines snared the first of its projected five gold medals yesterday by tying with China for the group exhibition title in the 7th Asian junior wushu championships at Makati Coliseum.

With a core made up of World Junior Championship medalists, the eight-player PH team put on a dazzling show to earn 9.42 points from a maximum 10 and share the title with China which drew the same score.

The team, whose members had to skip school just to train for the tournament, was led by Alieson Ken Omengan and Faith Liana Andaya of Baguio City. They won a gold and silver, respectively, in the Worlds early this year.

Also in the gold-medal squad were Kimberly Macuha, Johnzenth Gajo, Christian Nicholas Lapitan, Vanessa Jo Chan, Joel Casem and Dave Degala.

It was an auspicious start for the Philippines which is hoping to snare five to seven golds through the weekend. Two years ago in China, the Nationals won a gold and two silvers.

Wushu Federation of the Philippines president Tan She Ling lauded the team’s effort.

“It is a very good start for our boys and girls who sacrificed two weeks of school to polish their act,” said Tan, who assured gold medalists of incentives from the WFP. “I am confident they will earn more honors for the country.”

Omengan, 14-year-old high school sophomore, is entered in three more events.

The Filipino squad used a combination of free hand exercise with two kinds of weapons and did it with clockwork precision to match the performance of the Chinese team which chose just the free hand alone.

Hong Kong was second with 9.40 points.

Malaysia took the early lead in the standings with three gold medals after eight completed taolu (forms) events.

China and Hong Kong were tied at second with two golds apiece. The Philippines, which had a lone entry in taolu, and South Korea rounded out the gold medal roster.