Wushu federation pushes through with national championships

MANILA, Philippines – The Wushu Federation of the Philippines (WFP) pushed through with the 2009 National Wushu Championships, which opened Saturday. WFP managed to secure Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Harry Angping’s go signal to hold the two-day event where 150 participants will be competing in the taolo and sanshou evens on Saturday. Taolo athletes from WFP Discovery, WFP Baguio and Davao are the early pace setters with two gold medals apiece. Owned by former world champion and now appointed training director Mark Rosales, WFP Discovery won the gold medals in the men’s 13-18 and 18-30 Chang Quan and Nan Quan events courtesy of Mark Joseph Bayon and Jerick Anthony Ramos. Bayon got 8.88 points to defeat John Keithley Chan (8.73) and Jean Michael Salazar (8.71) of WFP Baguio while Ramos took 8.91 points to win over teammate Christian Farlanme (8.78) and Jake Massagan (8.73) of WFP Baguio. WFP Baguio leaned on the performance of lady athletes Vanessa Joe Chan and Kathlene Sabalburo. Chan topped the 7 to 13 female San Lu Quan (8.83) while Sabalburo ruled the 18 to 30 female Chang Quan-Nan Quan (8.75). Not to be left behind were Davao athletes Joseph Mangulabnan and Jonah Alana Yaranon as they topped the 7-13 male San Lu Quan (8.93) and 13-18 female Chang Quan-Nan Quan events (8.88). A total of 29 gold medals will be up for grabs in the taolo event while sanshou action will feature 12 divisions. Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Jose Cojuangco Jr. will be the guest of honor and will present the winners their medals in Sunday's closing ceremony. – GMANews.TV