Malalad wins gold in S. Korea karate tourney

Gretchen Malalad proved that a showbiz career had not diminished her fighting prowess. Malalad, who is in the thick of preparing for the Asian Games, brought home the gold medal in the 2nd Korea Open Karate Championship held in Busan, South Korea, over the weekend. The 26-year-old Malalad, a gold medalist in the recent Southeast Asian Games and a bronze medalist in the 2002 Asiad, beat a Vietnamese and a Korean in the event. "Gretchen showed that she is in a fighting condition altough she has other commitments," said Philippine Karatedo Federation president Eduardo Ponce. "Hopefully, with the way she is playing, she will be able to win not only the bronze in Doha, Qatar this December," Ponce added. Currently, there are seven other karatekas who will be vying for medals in the Asian Games — Bernard Chu, Bong Toribio, Mae Soriano, Noel Espinosa, Junel Perenia, and SEAG gold medalists Marna Pabillore and Nelson Pacalso. All are undergoing intensive training in Italy under coach Giuseppe Romano. From Italy the karatekas will directly fly to Qatar for the competitions while Malalad will return to the Philippines before traveling to Doha with Ponce on Dec. 8. - GMANews.TV