The Philippines, led by two reigning world champions, picked up five medals—including two golds—in the 8th Sanda World Cup that concluded yesterday in Xi’an, China.
Divine Masadao Wally and Arnel Mandal, gold medalists in the World Wushu Championship last year, led the country to its best performance in the wushu tournament.
The 19-year-old Wally, a Physical Education major of the University of the Cordilleras worked her way up the finals before walking over injured Farida Elsodany of Egypt in the women’s 48 kg.
Mandal, a 21-year-old from Iloilo, downed India’s Uchit Sharma in the men’s 65 kg finals, repeating over the latter whom he beat for the gold in last year’s Worlds.
Also bringing home medals were Hergie Bacyadan, who lost the gold to Iran’s Sharhbano Mansouriyan Semiromi in women’s 65 kg, and Francisco Solis, who bagged a bronze. —Marc Anthony Reyes