BY NIDA A. BUENAFE
The PSKI-KFS karatekas from Bacolod City won 10 gold medals and a bronze during the ISK-PASKA Virtual Kata Championship held during the weekend in Angeles City.
Paulaine MiyuKalaw and Francis ZohannKalaw led the Bacolod karatekas medal haul with two gold medals each, while Carlo Barias, Chahatjot Singh, Daniel Ian Tabujara, Gene Agsam, Gerrine Kaye Perez, and their mentor sensei Randy Mengullo won the gold in their respective event.
MiyuKalaw continues to shine in her age bracket with another golden performance in 12 years old advance and intermediate kata while ZohannKalaw was the best karateka in 9 years old male novice and intermediate kata events of the virtual tournament.
With the gold medals she won in 2019 BatangPinoy and 2020 Okazaki Cup and International Goodwill Games, MiyuKalawis gaining prominence in her sport at a young age.
It was a double gold achievement for PSKI-KFS in boys’ Under-9 event with Barias topping the kata event and Sing, the intermediate kata.
Tabujara added another gold medal for the team from Bacolod in Under-12 intermediate kata while Gene Agsam ruled the Under-19 novice kata, and Gerrine Kaye Perez reigning in female 18-34 years old advance kata.
Barias, Singh, Tabujaraand ZohannKalaw are all NOPSSCEA and Okazaki Cup gold medalists.
Meanwhile, Mengullo, who nurtured the skills of the young PSKI-KFS karatekas, set the best example for his young wards with a gold medal finish in male above 46 years old Master’s Cup advance kata.
“We are thankful to the ISKF Karatedo Philippines headed by Sensei Bong Mojica II for having a productive home quarantine program to all our children and instructors nationwide,” Mengullo said.
He said the online/virtual free training weekly under the tutelage of Sensei Ericson Fermin and the virtual kata competition helps keep the enthusiasm of the karatekas in their chosen sport.
The virtual tournament was held in in partnership with PASKA (Progressive Arts and Sports Karatedo) with Sensei Joel Madrona as organizer and tournament director.*
