THREE BAGUIO-BENGUET WUSHU PLAYERS IN 19TH ASIAN GAMES

September 16, 2023 Metro BLISTT

BAGUIO CITY

Three of the nine wushu athletes who are all geared up for the 19th Asian Games in Pinay in Hangzhou, China on September 23 to October 8 are from Baguio and Benguet, the Wushu Federation of the Philippines announced this week. Led by 2018 Asiad bronze medalist Agatha Wong, the PH Wushu Team is composed of Cordillera sanda player Gideon Padua (60 kilogram) and his fellow highlanders and taolu players Thornton Lou Sayan and Jone Labares Inso.

They will join sanda athletes Arnel Mandal (Mens 56 kg), Clemente Tabugara (Mens 65 kg) and Jenifer Kilapio (Womens 65 kg). The taolu squad led by Wong (Women’s Taijijian and Taijiquan AA) include Jhonzenth Gajo (Men’s Daoshu and Gunshu AA) and Sandrex Gainsan (Men’s Changquan). Sayan will see action in Men’s Nandao and Nangun AA, while Inso sees action in
Mens Taijiquan and Mens Taijijian AA.

Padua won a silver in the last Southeast Asian Games last May in Phnom Phen. Team Philippines will miss for the second time the services of former top woman sanda player Divine Wally who like
former top taolu player Daniel 0arantac has already retired. Hangzhou 2022, its official name, was supposed to be staged last year but was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. There will be 481 events in 40 sports from 61 disciplines in the event held every four years.

Pigeon Lobien/ABN