Aklan arnisadores dominate in WV sports meet

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

The arnis secondary boys team of Aklan emerged as over-all champion in the 2014 Western Visayas Regional Athletic Association (WVRAA) Meet held in San Jose, Antique. 

In secondary girls, the Aklan team also took second place over-all. 

Aklan’s secondary boys  captured five golds to dominate the creative / likha anyo and full contact (labanan) categories with 53 points followed by Negros with 43 points, Iloilo with 39 points and host province Antique with 17 points.

Aklan was the first runner-up over-all in secondary boys' arnis last year in Roxas City, Capiz. 

Joseph Matthew Sucro of Aklan edged Rodney Vicentino of Iloilo to defend the title in anyo event (individual) single weapon with 47.6 points. 

Sucro was the champion in last year's WVRAA in said event in Roxas City, Capiz. 

Vicentino, who captured the silver medal, scored 47.5 points. Christian Reyes of Negros won the bronze with 46.7 points.

In double weapon, John Lloyd Salazar of Aklan had 47.4 points to outpoint Edsel Pugay of Iloilo for the gold. Pugay had 47.2 points for silver.

Salazar won the silver medal in last year's event in Roxas City, Capiz. 

Joram Paul Pangcobila of Negros also bagged the bronze with 47 points.

Reyes of Negros later joined hands with Pangcobila and Jason Galas to claim the anyo event team (double weapon) gold with 47.1 points.

Iloilo arnis team led by Pugay, Dave Talamor and Jam Alaestante scored 46.6 points for the silver.

Aklan’s arnis team with Sucro, Salazar and Jasper Jake Dalida took the bronze with 44.9 points.

Negros team ruled the anyo event team (single weapon) behind Reyes, Galas and Pangcobila with 46.8 points.

Iloilo came in second with Jeemar Malificiar, Pugay and Talamor with 46.7 points while Aklan team claimed the bronze with 46.2 points.

Aklan arnis team also dominated the full contact (labanan) with gold medals in bantamweight (over 47 kgs to 51 kgs), featherweight (over 51 kgs and 55 kgs) and halflight (over 60 kgs to 65 kgs) weight categories.

Negros topped the pinweight (40 kgs to 47 kgs) while Iloilo took the gold in extralight weight (over 55 kgs to 60 kgs).

Secondary girls’ arnis

Angie Nicole Reyes of Aklan won the silver medal in secondary girls’ anyo event individual (double weapon) with 46.6 points behind Iloilo’s arnis player Crystal AJ Bartonico with 47.7 points.

Kyle Presente of Negros claimed the bronze in 44.6 points.

Bartonico again topped the anyo event individual (single weapon) with 47.5 points.  Reyes of Aklan also won the silver with 47.2 points. Ma. Angelica Mae Sta. Ana of Negros took the bronze with 44.9 points.

In anyo event team (double weapon), Bartonico teamed up with Fenchel Lavega and Jenny Shienty Guarin of Iloilo for the gold with 47.2 points.

Cherubim Vallejo, Neve Faruza Tajaran and Jan Elaine Anquilan of Aklan copped the silver with 46.3 points.  Negros team of Presente, Leizl Matula and Alhea Katryn Balboa placed third with 45.8 points.

Bartonico, Guarin and Maria Charlita Gunzaludo of Iloilo also brought home the gold in anyo event team (single weapon) with 47.8 points. 

Aklan  arnis trio of Vallejo, Tajaran and Anquilan also took their second silver medal in team event with 46.6 points and Negros of Matula, Sta. Ana and Presente at close third with 45.5 points.

Overall,  Iloilo arnisadores claimed the title after dominating the pinweight, bantamweight and halflight weight full contact with 61 points. Aklan team also won gold medals in featherweight and extralight weight with 45 points followed by Negros with 29 points and Antique with 17 points.