RP to host ASEAN muay championships in October

The Philippines will host the 1st ASEAN Muay Championship in October, said Muay Association of the Philippines (MAP) officer-in-charge Red Dumuk. Dumuk said that the tournament, which will be played during even years, will be a chance for ASEAN countries to hone their skills in between the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games. "It’s also a chance for our muay athletes to witness the other muay artists up close and personal," said Dumuk. Dumuk said they plan to simultaneously hold the Philippine national championships with the ASEAN tournament. But the RP team will be without former world champion Roland Claro, who decided to retire after winning silver in the men’s light flyweight division during the 2009 Laos SEA Games. "Claro observed in the last SEA Games that the level of competition is now different. He is small in terms of height and some of his opponents are taller so he decided to retire," DUmuk said about Claro, who is 31 years old. Despite Claro retiring, the RP muya team remains formidable with Laos SEA Games gold medalist Zaidi Laruan. Also in the team are Laos SEA Games silver medalists Romnick Pabalate and Jonathan Polosan, and bronze medalists Jay Harold Gregorio, May Libao, Maricel Subang, Preciosa Ocaya and Ana Marie Rey. Dumuk said that the muay team is training in Benguet in preparation for the ASEAN tilt since muay is not included in this year’s Asian Games in Guangzhou, China. Dumuk also thanked the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) after renovating their gym at the PhilSports complex in Pasig City. – GMANews.TV