BAGUIO GIRLS BAG SILVER, BRONZE IN SEA KURASH TOURNAMENT

BAGUIO CITY

Two-time Southeast Asian Games medalist Helen Aclopen fell short of her gold goal while a daughter of a former
University Athletic Association of the Philippines gold medalist took home a bronze medals that helped the Philippine Kurash team to a 6-5-3 (gold-silver bronze) performance in the 1st Kurash Southeast Asia Championship (KUSEA) in Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia over the weekend. Aclopen failed in her bid to take the 48 kilogram division
of the Uzbekistan sport to settle for the silver medal in the two day event.

Calling it a bittersweet victory, Aclopen said ina Facebook post that she is not happy with her settling for the silver. In a post, the former judo player from University of Baguio and a former SEAG sambo medalist wrote: “It didn’t go as planned as I originally aimed for the gold medal.” The recently included to the Heroes Wall of Fame mural added: “It is true that things will not always be in favor of your side, but, I will always remember that every challenge contains the seeds of opportunity and growth. I know that the universe will lead me wherever I’m supposed to be.”

Aclopen thanked her coaches and her family for the silver medal finish while adding: “It was a journey that taught me a lot and I will keep this experience, good or bad, as an opportunity for me to grow not only as a person but as a
professional athlete.” Meanwhile, de Villa, the only eldest and only daughter of a recently retired bank manager and an insurance manager, managed a podium finish in under 78 kg. division. De Villa is a University of the Philippines alumna who took the gold medal in judo in the same category in the UAAP Season 86 just before she graduated.

She teaches judo in Manila where she is pursuing a masters degree. The two were supported by the city government which released funds to help defray their expenses in the KUSEA campaign. Two gold medals were taken by the seniors squad with Ryan Benavidez (Men’s -73kg) and Ryan Donor (Men’s -81 kg) leading the way. SBeside Aclopen, the other silver medal winners are” George Baclagan (Men’s -100 kg), Renzo Cazeñas (Men’s 90kg), Nicole Habierto
(Women’s -70 kg) and Nick Gabriel Ligero (Men’s -60 kg Niko Ong (Men’s -81 kg) is the other bronze medal winner.

The junior squad, meanwhile secured a 3-0 1 haul with the child of coach Estie Gay Liwanen leanding the charge with a gold for his own. Zeus Liwanen Babanto lead three other junior kurash players in securing the gold medal. The others are: Jon Andrei Pecbot; Kyra Abella and Zephyrus Yu, while Isaiah Miguel Licera took home a bronze medal Liwanen, who also served as an international referee in the event, is a former UB judo team member who won a gold medal in the same sport in the 2019 SEAG held in Manila. Liwanen, who was “inducted” to the Heroes Wall of Fame in 2022, helped prepare the Philippine kurash team for the event.

Pigeon Lobien/ABN

Amianan Balita Ngayon