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2 Pinoys win gold in Wushu World tourney


The Philippine national anthem was played not only once, but twice at the Ankara Sports Arena in Turkey on the final day of the 11th Wushu World Championships. Jessie Aligaga (48 kgs) and Dembert Arcita (52 kgs), the shortest and lightest members of the Philippine sanda team, struck gold to put the Philippines among the best countries in the combat sport. The Molo, Iloilo-born Aligaga, who stands below five-feet in height, humbled Armenian Davit Grigoryan with solid punches and masterful wrestling skills to win in two rounds while fellow Ilonggo Arcita was stretched to a third round by Vietnam's Tu Hong Hoang. Arcita, however, ended the match with a cracking right straight that floored the Vietnamese for good early in round three. They credited their teammates—six of which also won silver and bronze medals—and Chinese coach Tong Quing Hai, who struggled to keep chants of "Para sa bayan, laban! (Fight for flag and country!) heard at the packed arena. Veterans Marianne Mariano and Mary Jane Estimar contributed silvers to the Philippine cause after losing to Chinese aces Qui Tiao and Liu Lingling in the finals of the 52 and 56-kilogram divisions, respectively. Rhea Mae Rifani, the other female member of the sanda team, settled for a bronze in the 48-kg class on Thursday. Mark Eddiva (65 kgs) and Benjie Rivera (56 kgs) also produced bronze medals in the men's division while Francisco Solis was a quarterfinalist while Edward Folayang won his first match but got eliminated in the next round. Tai chi expert Daniel Parantac, part of the nine-member taolu team, also won a bronze. The sanda and taolu teams returns on Sunday at 4 p.m. — JVP, GMA News

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