All three medalists in the recent Wushu Sanda World Cup, led by champion Arnel Mandal, vowed to produce gold medals for the Philippines in next year’s Southeast Asian Games that the country will host.
Mandal, who ruled the 52-kilogram division in Hanzhou, China, over the weekend, said he would be honored to finally represent the country in the 2019 Games. His weight division was never played in the previous SEA Games.
“That’s my immediate goal,” Mandal told Sports Radio Wednesday. The 22-year-old, who hails from Iloilo City, bested his rival, Vietnam’s Minh Duc Vu, in the finals to retain the gold medal he won two years ago.
Mandal, who also struck gold in the 2015 World Wushu Championship, missed the Jakarta Asian Games in August also because his weight division was also scrapped.
“Now I think I can finally compete in the SEA Games and in front of our countrymen,” Mandal said in Filipino.
Francisco Solis, 28, shared the same dream as Mandal.
Solis, a former pro boxer who shifted to wushu, bagged the silver medal in the 56kg division after losing to hometown bet Kang Li.