Elmer Manlapas, a 2019 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist, earned his first gold medal and third medal for himself during day two of the 16th World Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation World Arnis Championship at the Mandaue City Cultural and Sports Complex in Mandaue City Wednesday.
Manlapas defeated fellow Filipino Robin Kier Ubanos in the finals of the knife point 18 years old and older male under 62 kilogram. He earlier won a bronze medal after joining with Donlee Aliga and Billy Joel Valenzuela for the bronze in sayaw 18 to 39 years male double stick musical.
Manlapas is already assured of the bronze medal in the single stick 18-39 year male 58.1 – 62 kg after barging into the semifinals and will face Maroof Hilal Sofi of India in today’s game.
Aliga remains the top performing Baguio player with his gold in sayaw 18 – 39 years male single stick musical and silver medal in padded point 18+ years male under 58 kg where he beat Crisamuel Delfin in the semifinals, 6-2. He lost in the finals to fellow Filipino Jumel Montebon, 2-3, to settle for the bronze.
His third medal, a bronze, came in the group sayaw 18-39.
Abegail Abad, who won a gold in 2019 SEAG, barged in the win column after winning a silver in padded point 18 years female 59.1 to 78 kg.
The nursing student from the University of Baguio won her semifinals game against Via Rashiel Mae Lara, 4-2 to earn a finals slot and against Annjeanette Brillantes, who she lost to at 2-6.
Abad will face American Molly Rogers of the single stick 18-39 years female 64.1-71 kg semifinals which already assures her of a second medal, a bronze.
Valenzuela, from Saint Louis University, has a silver medal already and a second one, a bronze.
Valenzuela lost to Mar James Lapuz, a Filipino, in the finals of padded point 18+years male 64.1-69 kg. He earlier defeated Valentin Stanev of the United States in the semifinals, 7-1, and edged Korean Seongun Byeon , 2-3, in the quarterfinals.
Valenzuela was the third part of the sayaw team’s bronze medal performance.
After two days, the players under coach Ruth Ann Lavarias has a haul of 2-3-2.
Samuel, the fifth player from Baguio but now based in Rizal, has one silver and a bronze to show. He lost to Aliga in the sayaw 18-39 year male single stick musical by a mere 0.1 points.
After two days, Team Philippines has a whopping 89-87-95 gold-silver-bronze haul with the United States at a distant second spot with a 5-5-26 medal output. South Korea is third with a single mint and four bronze medals. Portugal and the United Kingdom have a gold each, while India has four bronze medals to show, and Grmany and Switzerland with two bronze and a bronze medal to show. Pigeon Lobien
