Six-gold haul not enough for Team PH

Southeast Asian Games champion Agatha Wong—SHERWIN VARDELEON

The Philippines ran away with six golds and six silvers in the recent online Asian Traditional Wushu Championships and wound up fourth overall in the tournament.

But that won’t cut it for the Wushu Federation of the Philippines (WFP).

The sport is making plans for in-person training that would send some of its athletes to China while bringing foreign coaches here to hone the rest of the team.

“We are not satisfied by our performance; there’s still something missing,” said WFP secretary general Julian Camacho.

The Philippines placed behind China, host Malaysia and Hong Kong in the taolu (forms) competitions of the 29-nation meet. Athletes in the Asian online submitted videos of their routine that were judged live.

Camacho said for next year’s Southeast Asian Games and the Asian Games, they are sending 10 sanda (sparring) athletes to train in China for four months.

“We have no choice because our athletes have no one to spar with here,” said Camacho.

For taolu, they will be bring in three foreign coaches.

Headed by Agatha Wong, the country ruled the 2019 Southeast Asian Games with seven golds, two silvers and two bronzes.