Calica, Gallaza bag ‘ritual’ gold

Filipino athlete Jearome Calica (red shorts) and Joemar Gallaza (blue shorts) wins gold at the Waikru Mai Muaythai male competition of the 30th EA Games in Subic, Zambales on Wednesday, December 4, 2019. INQUIRER PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—Jearome Calica and Joemar Gallaza have added a new dimension in their routine that any wai kru performer will find it hard to duplicate.

Showing a unique display of tricks and stunts, the Filipino pair claimed the gold medal in the Thai boxing dance ritual at the start of muay competitions in the 30th Southeast Asian Games.

“I think the impact of our power and technique gave us the advantage,’’ said Calica in Filipino after the duo averaged 9.59 points in the double-round event.

When they first took the floor, Gallaza and Calica demonstrated calmness but brandished the energy that moved the judges to throw in 9.59 points before the tandem exerted a better effort for an improved output of 9.61.

Both of them swore that the 40-day training camp in Thailand, the country where the combat sport originated, was the key to victory.