Darius Venerable polished an already shiny performance by the Philippines in the World Combat Games by ruling the men’s individual poomsae in taekwondo on late Monday evening in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
“I feel blessed with this win. I wouldn’t be here if not for all the support that I received,’’ said Venerable.
The ace jin thus delivered the country’s third gold medal in an event where it had previously gone home empty-handed.
“When the Philippines first competed in this tournament in 2010, we had no medals. Now, 90 percent of our athletes will arrive home with medals,’’ said Team Philippines chef de mission Alvin Aguilar.
Venerable topped his event with 9.280 points, seizing the title over Lee Namhun of South Korea and Singaporean Darren Yap.
The gold topped the bronze he won earlier this year as part of the mixed freestyle team poomsae with Kobe Macario, Jeordan Dominguez, Zyka Santiago and Juvenile Crisostomo during the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Crisostomo and Macario duplicated that SEA Games feat in these Games by placing third in the freestyle mixed pair.
Also winning golds for the Philippines were Kaila Napolis in jiujitsu and muay thai performers Alyssa Mallari and Rhichein Yosorez.
The Philippines likewise secured five silver and five bronze medals to finish in the top 20 among 80 participating countries. “We gave a very solid performance on the world stage as almost everyone we sent from various sports and events has produced a medal,’’ said Aguilar, president of the Wrestling Association of the Philippines.
Muay fighter Rudzma Abubakar also clambered the medal podium with a silver on Monday. She lost to Thailand’s Nirawan Tangchio, 20-18, in the women’s -54 kg final.
Wushu’s Agatha Wong and Clemente Tabugara Jr. collared a silver each along with muay wai kru specialist Islay Erika Bomogao while Jones Inso and Thornton Quieney Sayan claimed a pair of bronze medals.
Wrestlers Fierre Afan and Maria Aisa Ratcliff took the other two bronze medals. INQ