Veguillas clinches gold in kata event

Samantha Veguillas executed a variety of moves across the mat with fluid precision, and the 19-year-old clinched the kata gold medal in karate in the ongoing 8th Women’s Martial Arts (WMA) Festival of the Philippine Sports Commission at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

“This is a new experience for me since I wasn’t able to train for so long, and before the pandemic I wasn’t able to compete in the women’s martial arts festival as well,’’ said Veguillas after winning by a narrow margin with a total of 23.20 points. Joan Denise Lumbao tallied 22.80 for the silver medal.

Samantha is the daughter of former national team stalwart Chino Veguillas, an integral part of the gold-winning kata team for the Philippines during the 1993 Southeast Asian Games in Singapore.

“I wasn’t born yet at that time, but I do know that he did compete,’’ said the younger Veguillas, who obviously learned the tricks of the trade at the Association for the Advancement of Karate where her dad is one of the top black-belters.

In the -50 kilogram “kumite” finals, Princess Nicole Ramirez showed her worth against Rochelle Dano, while Ma. Yvone German claimed the gold medal in the -55kgs at the expense of Marie June Adriano. INQ