Team Go For Gold Philippines gave a preview of what to expect in the Southeast Asian Games next year after collecting six gold medals in the recent Southeast Asian Senior Wrestling Championships held at Dalubhasaan ng Lungsod ng San Pablo in Laguna.
Veterans Margarito Angana and Michael Vijay Cater, together with Noel Norada, ruled the Greco Roman weight classes in the weeklong event that pitted 11 nations.
Angana has not lost the skills that made him a two-time SEA Games gold medalist after defeating Plyabut Wiratul of Thailand in the men’s 60 kilograms while Cater took the 55 kg title at the expense of another Thai, Nattawut Keawkhanchum, before Norada made it three in a row by stopping Vietnam’s Pham Van Co.
Luke Cruz topped the 125 kg category in men’s freestyle after beating Dimas Septo Anueraha of Indonesia, joining women’s freestyle gold medalists Minalyn Foy-os (57kg) and Noemi Tener (68kg) on the podium.
“We’re very proud of our wrestlers and we believe they can win more gold medals,” said Go For Gold Philippines’ Jeremy Go.
The Filipinos also pocketed eight silver and 13 bronze medals. Overall titlist Vietnam brought home 12 golds, 11 silver and nine bronzes.